NACADA seize Sh5 million bhang in Homa Bay student hostel raid

Bhang and assorted cigarettes worth Sh5.1 million seized from student hostels in Homa Bay on Thursday, September 11.

A multi-agency operation has seized bhang worth an estimated Sh5 million in a raid on student hostels in Homa Bay County exposing what investigators say is a growing narcotics trade targeting university learners.

The sting at Jaacf Kodongo Estate, an area with a large student population, took place on Thursday, September 11 and also netted assorted cigarettes including Oris and Supermatch brands valued at about Sh100,000.

Two suspects were arrested.

The operation was carried out by a  team including the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Anti‑Narcotics Unit and a specialised Administration Police unit.

"This operation is a clear warning to drug traffickers exploiting young Kenyans. We are closing in on you," said NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa, adding, “We will not allow our universities, institutions meant to nurture talent and shape the future, to be turned into breeding grounds for addiction and crime."

The raid followed a NACADA report showing more than 30 per cent of university students have used cannabis, nearly 40 per cent regularly consume alcohol and tobacco and access to narcotics near campuses has risen in the past three years.

"The statistics are not just numbers, they are a red flag. This is a national crisis. We must act decisively, or we risk losing a generation to drugs," noted Omerikwa.