Lugari Police Arrest Suspected Drug Peddler with 20 Kilograms of Bhang
Confirming the arrest, Lugari Deputy County Commissioner Jeremiah Tumo said the suspect was apprehended early Monday following a tip-off from members of the public.
Lugari Deputy County Commissioner Jeremiah Tumo .Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Acting on tips from the public, officers from Lumakanda Police Station arrested a suspected drug trafficker and seized about 20 kilograms of Cannabis sativa (bhang) purportedly valued at Sh200,000 in a major operation aimed at sniffing narcotics along the busy Eldoret–Webuye highway.
As per the confirmation of arrest by Lugari Deputy County Commissioner Jeremiah Tumo, the suspect was nabbed at dawn on Monday after information from members of the public. He added that the intelligence shared by residents let Lumakanda police quickly act and intercept the suspect before the drugs could have been distributed.
Tumo: Police were alerted that a suspect was transporting cannabis sativa using a small Daihatsu motor vehicle. Officers then set across Turbo along the Eldoret-Webuye road with this information. Sensing danger upon sighting the police, the suspect increased speed towards Turbo town to evade being caught.
“The officers immediately gave chase and managed to catch up with him a few meters from Turbo market, where he had stopped in an attempt to avoid arrest,” Tumo said.
Upon intercepting the vehicle, officers conducted a search and recovered 20 kilograms of cannabis sativa concealed in the boot. During interrogation, the suspect allegedly tried to resist arrest by pretending to be a passenger. However, officers subdued him and further scrutiny of the vehicle’s documents confirmed that he was, in fact, the driver.
Tumo revealed that preliminary investigations indicate the suspect is well-known drug peddler in the region. He said the impounded consignment is believed to have been the last batch from a larger load that the peddler distributes between Busia, where he is coming from, and Lumakanda.
The deputy county commissioner further explained that the seized vehicle carried a code name, “Sibuor 004,” a feature that has raised eyebrows in security circles. This means that there are many similar cars that cart narcotics across counties to target the youth society and do widespread social harm.
“The code name points to a well-coordinated network of drug traffickers using several vehicles to distribute narcotics along major highways,” Tumo said.
He added that the suspect is undergoing processing in the police station and shall be arraigned in court on Tuesday to face charges related to drug offenses.
Tumo stated that drug peddlers and illicit liquor traders might face a serious push from law enforcement, as security agencies have intensified surveillance along highways within the sub-county to eradicate the vice. Now, with community outreach implemented, officers have been on high alert and working closely with community members to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
“Our officers are on high alert, and the days of drug peddlers are numbered,” he said. “We are engaging members of the community to ensure we receive timely information. Community policing structures and Nyumba Kumi units have been activated.”
He noted that these groups work with chiefs, assistant chiefs, and village elders in the fight against drugs and illicit brews in Lugari. Tumo warned criminal cartels to abandon illegal trade immediately or face the full fury of the law.
The deputy county commissioner commended the Lugari police officers for stepping up the fight against drug trafficking, saying the operation coincides with the Rapid Result Initiative launched by the government from January 9 to April 20, aimed at addressing drug and alcohol abuse and the increasing incidences of gang culture across the country.
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