Drug cartels turn to neighbouring state

By Philip Mwakio and Vincent Bartoo

Drug cartels in Mombasa are now sourcing their supplies from a neighbouring country following intensified security checks.

Mombasa OCPD Kipkemoi Rop, told The Standard in his office yesterday that security agents were on high alert and were working with the public to curb the supply of illicit drugs.

"We have noticed that supplies that may have found their way into the local drug dens are from a neighbouring country. We seek to establish collaboration with our counterparts across the border to try and stop the deliveries,’’ he said.

The police boss was speaking in his office after a raid on a drug den in Mishomoroni, Kisauni constituency where two men were nabbed with 180gm of heroin. The illegal consignment has a street value of Sh400,000.

Mr Rop said the two suspects would be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.

He disclosed that police have internal mechanisms of dealing with members of the disciplined forces who collude with drug traffickers.

Meanwhile, two women were yesterday arrested in Eldoret transporting bhang worth over Sh50,000 in a matatu. The two were nabbed by Administration Police officers following a tip off from the public who saw the drugs being loaded onto the matatu that was coming from Malaba.

Transporting bhang

The North Rift regional AP Commandant, Rashid Abdullahi, said their source gave the description of the matatu the women were using.

"We then laid an ambush and arrested the two with the two sacks of bhang with an estimated street value of over Sh50,000," he said. One of the women, who gave her name as Agnes Muthoni, admitted that they were transporting the bhang to Nakuru.

The other however, denied she was involved in the illegal trade.