Police seize bhang worth Sh18 million in hearse

Police intercept bhang worth Sh18 million in a hearse along Busia-Kisumu highway. [Isaac Mpaka,Standard]

Police in Busia have seized bhang worth Sh18 million that was being transported in a hearse on Monday evening.

The hearse was stopped at a checkpoint at Sio River along Busia-Kisumu highway, where officers discovered the bhang concealed in sacks.

According to Busia County Police Commander Maxwell Nyaema, the hearse had earlier carried a body from Nairobi to Mumias, and then was hired by a relative of the deceased to ferry the bhang from Busia to Nairobi.

The driver claimed that he did not know what was in the sacks, and that he was only paid to deliver them.

"The driver told the officers that he had been hired to transport a certain consignment from Busia town moments after he offloaded a body he ferried from Nairobi to Mumias," Nyaema said.

Nyaema said the hearse and the driver are being held at Busia Police Station for further investigations.

He added that the police are looking for the owner of the bhang and the person who hired the hearse.

He warned drug traffickers that they will not escape the law if they are caught.