Confiscating properties of drug dealers is key to ending menace

Police seize bhang wrapped in polythene bags being transported to Nairobi from Moyale. [File, Standard]

Kenya is in the throes of a silent war, one that continues to undermine our economy, threaten national security, and destroy the lives and potential of our people, particularly the youth. The fight against drug and substance abuse is no longer just about seizing sachets of illicit brew or intercepting suspicious packages at our borders. It is about going after the very lifelines that sustain this criminal enterprise; the land, premises, vehicles, and financial networks that enable drug traffickers and illegal alcohol manufacturers to flourish.

At the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), we have stepped up our interventions with renewed vigour and strategic focus. One of the key areas we are advocating for, in collaboration with other government agencies, is the confiscation and repossession of assets used in the promotion, manufacture, and distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol. It is our strong view that the subsequent return of these assets to the State will be a great step towards deterring engagement in the vice. This is necessary if we are to dismantle the profit motive behind this destructive trade.