Police impound bhang worth Sh4.3m, launch manhunt for two suspects

Police in Mombasa impounded a consignment of bhang valued at Sh4.3 million.

Detectives said officers on patrol acting on a tipoff mounted a roadblock at Mariakani area around 3.00am and laid a trap.

The consignment said to be from Western Kenya was packed in sacks and was being ferried to Mombasa where police said it had ready market. It is unclear why the drug was not intercepted as it was ferried across Kenya towards the Coast.

Kaloleni AP Sub-county commander boss William Tangus told the standard on cellphone that the 434 kilogramme bhang was packed in sacks and put in a Toyota fielder registration number KBY 243X.

He said the highway officers had earlier tried to stop the vehicle but the driver defied police orders prompting them to shoot.

The officers alerted their counterparts at Mariakani who then mounted a roadblock but the driver made a U- turn and joined the Mwereni Bamba road.

He said they suspected they were being trailed and that's when they returned to connect the Mombasa highway.

"When they reached the bumps, they could not speed as our officers were following them with a taxi. They stopped and two occupants jumped out of the car and vanished into the thicket on foot," the AP commander said.

Anti-narcotic officials from Malindi led by Coast region boss Henry Mosbai travelled to Mariakani where they weighed the haul as investigations commenced.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the two suspects who fled as investigations on the origin and owner of the bhang are also underway.

He asked police to be vigilant and not to allow drugs to be ferried to the county.

The car with haul were towed to Mariakani police station.