Mixed reactions as DCI arrests 54-year-old alleged ‘Ngara bhang queen’
The recent drug bust by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI’s) involving a 54-year-old woman suspected to be a baron has elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans.
The operation carried out by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit and the Trans National Organised Crime Unit on Tuesday, August 15, resulted in the recovery of a significant quantity of cannabis sativa and a substantial sum of Sh13.4 million in cash.
Following the raid, the woman and three teenagers aged between 16 and 17 were arrested in the Kariua slums in Ngara area of Nairobi.
Kenyans on Twitter were shocked by the discovery, with some appearing to be familiar with the woman they referred to as: “Mathe wa Ngara”.
“I believe more than 40 percent of Kenyans use marijuana in one way or the other. It is time we legalize and let people trade in peace. Let’s also earn foreign exchange and allow mkulima mdogo ajitegemee. We just need its regulation and we’ll stop depending on the IMF & World Bank,” Wisdom responded to the arrest by DCI.
Some Kenyans praised the DCI, saying that Kenyan youths needed to be saved from the vice of bhang abuse.
However, other Kenyans noted the discrepancy in the reports from the National Police Service (NPS) and the DCI, saying that the NPS reported the amount as Sh12.9 million while the DCI said it was Sh13.4 million.
“Swali tu … Hii story ni the same? Is it 12.9 or 13.4, admin sio mmoja?” Wuod Saint commented.
One Smith Legrande replied to DCI saying, “You can arrest Mathe but you can’t arrest kwa Mathe,”
To which the DCI replied, “Sawa. Tupatane kwa Mathe mapema.”
During the raid, 26 bags of cannabis sativa (marijuana) and four cartons of rolling material, 173 individually wrapped sweets and a carton of suspected weed biscuits were seized.
The suspects will appear in court on 16 August.