Lamu county Police County Commander Perminus Kioi has warned boat owners and operators that they risk having their vessels burnt, if they are found smuggling drugs into the Lamu Islands.
Speaking to journalist sat the county police headquarters in Lamu Island Tuesday, Kioi issued a stern warning to boat operators, whom he said have failed in ensuring their coxswains and captains refrain from ferrying drugs.
“Increasingly, we are nabbing captains and coxswains who are colluding with drug peddlers and drug barons to ferry bhang into the Island,” the police boss stated.
He expressed concern that young boat operators are being lured to be part of the drug trade as he displayed a recent drug haul of Sh22, 500 that was found by police on its way to Mtangawanda Jetty.
“The boat owners are aware of the drug trade, which for them is very lucrative for those ferrying it and we will start burning the boats involved together with the drugs nabbed going forward in order to deter the practice,” he added.
The police commander also said they will also arrest bus drivers and conductors who allow drug peddlers to use their vehicles to ferry drugs into the county.
He further commended the officers from Pate and Kiunga Island and urged them to work round the clock to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
Kioi noted that heroin and bhang use was still on the rise and urged parents to take care of their children not to get lost in drug abuse or in the drug trade.
By Hawa Njenga and Amenya Ochieng
