Security officers on Thursday uprooted more than 560 bhang plants from a maize farm at Kabuku village in Murang’a South sub-county.
The police officers who acted on a tip-off from members of the public also apprehended one suspect who is the owner of the maize farm.
The area sub-county police commander Alexander Shikondi said the uprooted bhang will be taken for verification at a government chemist while the suspect Anthony Chege will be arraigned in court.
He said they have reports that the suspect is a well-known producer of bhang in the area saying security officers will target buyers of bhang.
"The suspect is well known as a producer of bhang. The farm belongs to him and the claims that he didn’t know that the plants were bhang are lame excuses," the commander stated.
He lauded efforts by members of the public in the fight against drug abuse in the region saying in the recent past they have managed to nab several individuals behind the bhang trafficking.
"Bhang traffickers are currently taking advantage of the festive season to sell the substance and we are alert to ensure the crime is stopped. There are also those targeting school-going children and we urge parents to be on the lookout for their children. Once they suspect something suspicious with their children, they should make a report to authorities promptly," Shikondi added.
Speaking during his arrest, Chege defended himself saying he was not aware whether the plants were bhang claiming the seeds could be in the manure he used to plant the maize with.
"I am not aware that the plants were bhang, I assumed they were normal weeds and I was working on how to uproot them,” Chege argued.
Cases of bhang trafficking and consumption in parts of Maragua have been rampant with security personnel vowing to totally end the menace.
