Drugs worth Sh1.4 million destroyed in Vihiga

Vihiga County Commissioner Felix Watakila leads the destruction of illicit substances. [Courtesy]

Police in Vihiga County have destroyed multiple illicit drugs and substances including bhang worth Sh1.4 million.

The officers destroyed 450 brooms of bhang, 2,000 litres of chang'aa, and five cartons of contraband cigarettes.

Others were 110 rolls of bhang, 4 kilograms in powder form and 10 kilograms of seeds of bhang.

Vihiga County Commissioner Felix Watakila led the operation at Luanda Market yesterday.

Addressing journalists during the exercise, Watakila said they decided to destroy the narcotics publicly as a warning to those engaging in the illegal business.

"As a government, we won't allow criminals to take over our county through the business of selling bhang and illicit brews," said Watakila.

The drugs were nabbed by the police but the suspects managed to escape during a raid mounted to rid the county of the substances and drugs.

Mr Watakila declared that the operation will be intensified across the five sub-counties in Vihiga.

"I have directed my chiefs to continue with the operations and ensure that we mop up illicit brews," said Watakila.

Some of the contraband cigarettes and illicit drinks are said to have been smuggled into the county from neighbouring Uganda through the porous border at Busia.

The commissioner challenged residents to desist from drug abuse and instead focus on gainful economic activities to uplift their lives.

Mr Watakila lamented that the use of bhang has had a negative impact on the standards of education, morals and economic development in Vihiga.

"Bhang and illicit brews have seen some of our students drop out of school and engage in criminal activities around here Luanda and other places," said Watakila.

He urged locals to volunteer information that would help the police smoke out drug peddlers and brewers.

A report released on May 12 by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) on the use of drugs and substance abuse in the country ranked Western top in alcohol use at 24 per cent in 2022.

The 24 per cent in Western accounted for 767,789 individuals hooked to alcohol. According to the survey, Western was followed by Coast at 14 per cent and Central at 13 per cent.

Luanda South MCA Kelvin Mwangu said the destruction of the drugs was critical as it would save the population that is at risk of drowning in drugs.