Detectives in Nairobi have arrested a Kasarani man accused of using a local butchery as a front for selling cannabis.
The operation, part of an ongoing narcotics crackdown, led to multiple arrests and the recovery of bhang concealed in food items and passenger luggage.
According to DCI Kenya, the arrest was carried out on Friday by officers from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) and the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) in the ongoing crackdown on narcotics trafficking.
The suspect, identified as Paul Mwangi Karanja, is the operator of East Butchery in the Marurui area of Kasarani.
Investigators said the arrest followed credible intelligence indicating that the premises was being used as a front to peddle cannabis while flying under the radar.
Detectives moved in on the butchery, suspecting that its legitimate appearance was being used to mask illegal activity.
A raid on the premises led to the recovery of what police described as a sizeable haul of narcotics.
Officers found “81 rolls of bhang, 18 cookies, 13 sim-sim rolls and five small mabuyu containers, all laced with cannabis,” suggesting an elaborate attempt to beat the system and evade detection.
Police believe the drugs were packaged in different food forms to disguise their true contents and avoid suspicion from customers and law enforcement.
The use of a butchery as a distribution point highlights an evolving tactic by traffickers to conceal narcotics within ordinary businesses.
During the same operation, detectives also arrested a delivery rider, Willinton Nadwa, who was caught red-handed delivering 14 rolls of bhang at the premises.
Investigators say the rider was part of the distribution chain used to move the drugs discreetly.
In a separate but related operation, ANU detectives acting on further intelligence intercepted a Nairobi-bound matatu along the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway.
The vehicle was stopped at a roadblock mounted in Limuru, Kiambu County, as part of wider surveillance efforts targeting drug transit routes into the capital.
Following a thorough search of passengers, detectives arrested Judith Faith Oriende.
She was found in possession of a brown suitcase containing three packages of bhang, neatly wrapped in yellow cellotape.
Police say the packaging suggested deliberate concealment intended to evade detection during travel.
All the suspects arrested in the two operations are currently being held in custody undergoing processing pending arraignment.
The DCI confirmed that the recovered narcotics have been secured as exhibits, as investigations continue.
The arrests reaffirms the DCI’s assertion that it remains committed in the fight against narcotics trafficking through intelligence-led operations across the country.
Officials say such operations are aimed at dismantling drug networks and preventing narcotics from reaching communities.
The use of everyday locations such as butcheries and public transport, investigators say, demonstrates how traffickers adapt their methods to blend into normal economic activity.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that such practices pose serious risks to public health and safety, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
DCI Kenya has urged members of the public to assist in the fight against narcotics by sharing information.
“#FichuaKwaDCI,” the agency said, encouraging citizens to report suspicious activities anonymously through its toll-free hotline or WhatsApp channels.
As investigations continue, the DCI says the Kasarani arrests form part of a broader national effort to disrupt supply chains, target distributors, and keep communities safe from the harmful effects of illicit drugs.
