Nacada arrests five over drug trafficking, nabs bhang worth Sh2m

Nacada and police officer display bhang worth Sh2 million that was seized during a crackdown on narcotics in Kisii. [NACADA]

Five people were arrested on Friday following a crackdown on narcotics in Kisii. 

The operation, which was conducted by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), backed by a specialised police unit, also recovered Sh2 million worth of cannabis.

In a statement, Nacada Chief Executive Anthony Omerikwa said the officers also confiscated counterfeit alcoholic beverages from the prime suspect, Geoffrey Nyabira’s liquor outlet. 

The Nacada boss said the raid targeted multiple hideouts linked to a well-established narcotics syndicate, leading to the recovery of a significant stash of cannabis sativa as well as counterfeit alcohol from a wines and spirits outlet operated by the suspect.

Dr Omerikwa said Nyabira is a repeat offender with an ongoing drug trafficking case in Kisii Law Courts, who managed to evade arrest but remains a marked man.

"This individual is a notorious trafficker who has defiantly returned to his illicit trade even after our previous raid and court case," he said. 

"We are pursuing Nyabira and his entire network with every resource at our disposal. No stone will be left unturned until this poison is eradicated from our communities." 

Among those arrested was Nyabira's wife. 

Nacada said the sales records retrieved from Nyabira’s residence confirmed that just hours before the raid, he had supplied peddlers with bhang worth over Sh1 million, underscoring the vast scale of his operation.

The five arrested suspects will be charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act even as Nacada continues to trace the supply chain.

"We urge the public to report any suspicious activities. Together, we will reclaim our streets from these merchants of destruction," Omerikwa said, assuring that "investigations remain ongoing, with more arrests expected as authorities analyse seized evidence." 

Those arrested are currently detained at Nyanchwa Police Station as authorities tighten their grip on the syndicate.