Sh2.19 million cocaine found on Kampala-Nairobi bus at Malaba border

An anti-narcotics operation at the Malaba border has led to the arrest of a bus crew member and the recovery of cocaine valued at Sh2.19 million after officers found a suspicious parcel aboard a passenger bus arriving from Uganda.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the drugs were discovered during routine checks at the Malaba One-Stop Border Post (OSBP), where a Simba Coach bus travelling from Kampala to Nairobi was subjected to passenger and luggage screening.

The bus, registration number KDG 093H, attracted the attention of officers when they found an unattended parcel inside the vehicle. The discovery prompted further checks to establish what the package contained.

According to the DCI, the bus driver and conductor fled after officers identified the parcel for inspection, leaving passengers and the vehicle at the border post.

Detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Malaba subsequently took over the case and secured the suspected narcotics for examination and further investigations.

Initial tests confirmed that the substance was cocaine. The drugs had been divided into eight pellets with a total weight of 547.99 grammes.

The seized consignment was estimated to have a street value of Sh2,191,960, according to investigators.

The operation resulted in the arrest of the bus turn boy, Meshack Medalack, who is being investigated in connection with the suspected trafficking of the drugs.

Meanwhile, detectives are searching for the driver, identified as Karama, and the conductor, John Musimbi, following their reported escape during the screening exercise.

Investigators are seeking to determine how the cocaine was brought aboard the bus and establish the involvement, if any, of the individuals connected to the vehicle. The inquiry is also expected to clarify the circumstances under which the parcel was left unattended inside the bus.

The vehicle was detained at the border as the bus company made arrangements for the affected passengers to continue their journeys using alternative transport.

The incident draws attention to the role of border inspections in detecting suspected narcotics being moved through public transport. The DCI said its anti-narcotics unit remained committed to stopping drug trafficking and dismantling networks responsible for moving illegal substances across the country's borders.

The agency has also appealed to members of the public to provide information that could help investigators pursue drug-related cases and other criminal activities.

Anyone with relevant information can report anonymously through the DCI's toll-free number, 0800 722 203, or send information via WhatsApp on 0709 570 000.

Investigations remain ongoing, with detectives continuing to search for the two crew members who reportedly fled and working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the seizure.