Malindi, Kenya – A multi-agency security team has intercepted a Lamu-bound bus at the Sabaki River Bridge in Malindi and seized a large consignment of cannabis hidden in the luggage compartment.
The bus, registration number KDN 368W and operated by Tawakal Bus Service, was en route from Nairobi when officers flagged it down for a routine inspection. What appeared to be ordinary luggage quickly aroused suspicion after two bulky bales were discovered wrapped in bundles of second-hand clothes.
Upon closer examination, detectives confirmed the packages contained cannabis sativa. However, before the officers could make a full sweep of the vehicle, one passenger believed to be the owner of the drugs managed to flee, vanishing into nearby thickets.
The bus driver and conductor were arrested at the scene and are being held for questioning as the search for the fugitive intensifies. Security sources said the operation was part of an ongoing crackdown on narcotics trafficking along the Coast region’s transport corridors.
The seized cannabis has been detained as evidence pending forensic analysis and further investigations. Authorities have praised the swift action of the joint security team, noting that the interception likely disrupted a major supply route into Lamu County.
Police have urged public transport operators to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with law enforcement to curb the movement of illegal substances through the country’s highways.
