Four people have been arrested following an operation that was carried out by a multi-agency security team that uncovered a drug-trafficking syndicate along the Moyale-Isiolo highway.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement issued on the night of Friday, April 11, 2025, said that the sting operation saw a long-distance truck flagged down, and upon search, a significant haul of cannabis sativa was recovered.
According to DCI, the truck, a Mercedes-Benz Actros, that was being driven by 33-year-old Boniface Nthenge Kithuku, was ferrying gunny bags stuffed with tightly packed bales of cannabis, with each bundle wrapped in yellowish cellophane and cunningly stashed within the truck’s chassis.
“A multi-agency team has intercepted a long-haul truck and recovered a significant haul of cannabis sativa, netting four traffickers. The operation, which played out on the busy Moyale-Isiolo highway, saw officers flag down a Mercedes-Benz Actros driven by 33-year-old Boniface Nthenge Kithuku. A search of the truck revealed gunny bags stuffed with tightly packed bales of cannabis, each bundle wrapped in yellowish cellophane and cunningly stashed within the truck’s chassis. The concealment technique suggested a well-coordinated drug trafficking attempt,” DCI stated.
The other three persons of interest, namely Amos Murithi, Justus Mutisya Mutia, and Titus Nthenge Kituu, were arrested alongside the truck driver.
Arraignment
The four are currently being detained at Isiolo police station, where they are being processed ahead of the court arraignment.
The consignment of cannabis sativa was also taken to the police station and will be used in court as an exhibit.
“Alongside the driver, three other suspects, Amos Murithi, Justus Mutisya Mutia, and Titus Nthenge Kituu, were arrested on the spot. The suspects, along with the illicit cargo, were escorted to Isiolo Police Station, where they are currently being processed ahead of a court appearance,” the DCI stated.
Crackdown on bhang
The arrest comes barely a week after a man was arrested while in possession of 401 rolls of bhang worth over Ksh1 million in a Kisumu-bound public service vehicle.
According to the DCI, police officers from Kamagambo Police Station apprehended the person of interest on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, following a tip-off from vigilant members of the public.
Authorities were alerted about a suspicious vehicle that was heading to Kisumu from Migori. Acting on the information, officers set up an ambush and successfully intercepted the vehicle.
“Police officers from Kamagambo Police Station have nabbed a trafficker and confiscated 401 rolls of bhang. The arrest follows a tip-off from vigilant members of the public, who alerted authorities about a suspicious public service vehicle heading to Kisumu from Migori, loaded with illicit cargo.
“Officers set up an ambush and intercepted the vehicle. A thorough search of the vehicle revealed two bags containing a total of 401 sizable rolls of bhang, weighing 34.4 kilograms, with an estimated street value of Sh1,032,000,” a statement shared by DCI read in part.