Police officers in Meru County have arrested two school girls aged 16 and 17 years and recovered rolls of bhang with an estimated street value of Ksh 750,000.
Speaking to the media at the Criminal Investigations office in Meru, County Commissioner Jacob Ouma, County Commander Patrick Labolia and County Criminal Investigations Officer Abed Kavoo said the sellers were using minors who are of school going age to ferry the bhang.
According to the reports, the suspects carried the packages in school bags as a means of concealment. The security officers said intelligence led detectives to intercept an express matatu travelling from Nairobi to Maua, and seized 25 rolls of Cannabis Sativa concealed in luggage.
“Through the good relationship and collaboration between the public, our officers and intelligence, we intercepted the matatu. The sellers were using minors to ferry the bhang. The suspects are aged 17 and 16. They carried the packages in school bags as a means of concealment,” Commander Labolia said.
County Commissioner Ouma condemned those who involve minors in drug trafficking and warned security personnel who collude with traffickers to leave the county.
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“Consumption of such drugs fuels teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, defilement, and family breakdowns. We have declared total war against drug trafficking in the county,” Ouma said.
Kavoo warned residents and traffickers alike that police operations will continue.
He said the trend of using school children to transport drugs is new and particularly worrying.
“The operation continues. We thank members of the public for the information. We are holding the suspects as thorough investigations continue. This trend of using school children to move drugs is new and particularly worrying,” Kavoo said.
The officials said a preliminary investigation suggests the consignment may have been received in Nairobi and were en route to Meru, potentially originating from outside the country.
The matatu involved was identified as operating under the Maua Shark Express Transport Company brand.
Police noted that express services travelling long distances can make it harder to detect concealed consignments especially in school bags.
Labolia and Kavoo urged members of the public to continue reporting suspicious activity, saying community intelligence is key to the operation.
The two girls remain in custody as detectives carry out further inquiries into the supply chain and other suspects.
By John Majau
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