DCI Intercepts Large Bhang Consignment on Nairobi-Nakuru Highway; Ugandan National Arrested at Malaba Border

Kenyan detectives arrest two suspects and seize several bales of bhang in Busia and along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway destined for the capital.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 8:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from TUKO.co.ke

Highway Interception and Arrest

In a coordinated strike against regional drug trafficking, Kenyan detectives intercepted a vehicle laden with narcotics along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru Highway on Thursday, April 30. Acting on a public tip-off, officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) signaled a Daihatsu Mira, registration number KDH 389A, to a halt. A thorough search of the vehicle, which was traveling from Busia toward Nairobi, revealed multiple bales of bhang concealed within the cabin. The driver, identified as Sylvester Kiiru Mwangi, was taken into custody immediately, and the vehicle was impounded as evidence.

Border Crackdown at Malaba

In a parallel operation conducted on the same day, police based at the Malaba border disrupted a separate smuggling attempt at the Posta area. Officers noticed a traveler, 31-year-old Ugandan national Julius Okadapao, struggling with a briefcase and a box that appeared unusually heavy. Upon inspection, the security team discovered 17 meticulously wrapped bales of bhang. Preliminary findings by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) suggest that these drugs were destined for the "streets of Nairobi," where they were to be processed for local distribution.

DCI’s Commitment to Narcotics Suppression

The DCI issued a statement praising the vigilance of the public and the swift response of the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU). Authorities noted that the twin operations have significantly disrupted a major supply chain linking the border regions to the capital city. Both Mwangi and Okadapao are currently being processed at police stations in their respective areas of arrest and are expected to be arraigned in court next week to face charges related to the possession and trafficking of prohibited narcotics.