Busia Police Arrest PSV Driver, Recover 20kg of Cannabis
The arrest followed a tip-off that prompted officers from Bumala Police Station to intercept the PSV, registration number KCP 022H.
Police in Busia County have arrested a public service vehicle driver after recovering 20 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa from a vehicle travelling along the Busia-Kisumu Road. Photo: DCI.
By Robert Mutasi
Police in Busia County have arrested a public service vehicle driver after recovering 20 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa from a vehicle travelling along the Busia-Kisumu Road.
The arrest followed a tip-off that prompted officers from Bumala Police Station to intercept the PSV, registration number KCP 022H.
Police searched the vehicle’s boot and discovered a green sack and a black bag containing the suspected narcotic drugs. The two packages were found to contain cannabis weighing a combined 20 kilogrammes.
Detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Busia later took over the investigation to establish the source and intended destination of the consignment.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the cannabis was not ordinary passenger luggage and was allegedly being transported as part of a trafficking operation.
Police identified the driver as 39-year-old Stephen Otieno Jumbo, also known as Barry. Detectives arrested him after linking him to the transportation of the narcotics.
Investigators further established that Jumbo allegedly worked with the vehicle’s conductor, Patrick Omondi, in transporting the consignment.
Omondi, however, escaped during the operation and remains at large.
Detectives have launched a manhunt for the conductor as investigations continue into the suspected trafficking network.
Police have taken the recovered cannabis into custody as an exhibit as they prepare the case against the arrested driver.
Jumbo remains in police custody and is expected to be presented in court after the completion of the necessary processing.
The recovery adds to ongoing police operations targeting the movement and distribution of narcotic drugs along major transport routes in western Kenya.
Authorities have continued to urge members of the public to provide information on suspected drug trafficking activities, saying such reports can help law enforcement agencies disrupt the transportation and distribution of illegal drugs.
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