Turbo Sub-County Sting: Sh9.5 Million Cannabis Haul Intercepted on Eldoret-Malaba Highway
In a significant blow to narcotics distribution networks, a multi-million shilling drug trafficking operation was spectacularly dismantled by alert law enforcement officers in Turbo Sub-County. The meticulously coordinated operation led to the arrest of a suspected drug peddler and the seizure of cannabis sativa with an estimated street value of a staggering Sh9.5 million.
The successful interdiction underscores the critical role of community vigilance in the ongoing war against illicit drugs. Authorities from the Baharini Police Station were initially tipped off by observant residents who reported a suspicious-looking lorry traversing their area. The citizens raised alarms about the vehicle’s behavior, prompting an immediate and decisive response from the officers.
Acting on this credible intelligence, the officers swiftly mobilized, setting in motion a carefully planned operation to intercept the vehicle. The target was an Isuzu FRR lorry, identified by its registration number KDN 311J. The officers successfully tracked and stopped the vehicle at a strategic point near Chemalal, a location along the heavily trafficked Eldoret-Malaba highway, a known transit corridor for goods and, unfortunately, contraband.
What seemed from the outside to be a routine goods vehicle revealed a sophisticated concealment tactic upon inspection. The officers discovered six large sacks filled with high-grade cannabis sativa, expertly hidden within a consignment of cartons containing body oils and assorted perfumes. This deceptive packaging was clearly designed to throw off sniffer dogs and bypass routine checks by masking the potent scent of the narcotics.
The total weight of the confiscated cannabis was a substantial 190 kilograms, pointing to a large-scale distribution plan rather than minor peddling. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 45-year-old Ali Adema Misonga, was immediately placed under arrest at the scene. During preliminary questioning, Misonga allegedly claimed to have picked up the illicit cargo from the border town of Malaba and was en route to the coastal city of Mombasa, a major consumption hub.
The suspect, together with the seized Isuzu lorry and the massive haul of narcotics, was subsequently escorted to the Baharini Police Station for further processing. The vehicle, now deemed a vital instrument of crime, and the cannabis bricks are being held as key exhibits crucial for the prosecution’s case.
Ali Adema Misonga remains in lawful custody as investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continue to delve deeper into the case. They are working to unravel the entire supply chain, aiming to identify the source of the drugs in Malaba and the intended recipients in Mombasa. The suspect is expected to be formally charged in a law court in the coming days, facing serious charges related to the trafficking of prohibited substances.
This seizure is one of the largest in the North Rift region in recent months and highlights the relentless efforts of the National Police Service in combating the drug trade. It also serves as a stern warning to other traffickers that law enforcement agencies, bolstered by an cooperative citizenry, are monitoring key supply routes with increased vigilance.
