The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has recovered a consignment of illicit substances valued at approximately Ksh7.2 million after a road accident along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway.
The DCI confirmed the recovery on Monday, September 21, after detectives discovered the drugs inside a badly damaged Mazda CX-5 that had crashed between Shinners Boys and the Mbaruk area.
The vehicle was reportedly heading to Nairobi from Nakuru when its driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.
According to the DCI, the overtaking manoeuvre went awry, causing the driver to lose control before the Mazda collided with an oncoming Scania trailer.
The impact sent the SUV spinning and severely damaged its front section. The driver, however, managed to flee the scene, leaving the wrecked vehicle behind.
Officers from Nakuru Central Police Station responded to the crash and began processing the damaged Mazda.
During their inspection, police made a startling discovery after finding six sacks containing a consignment of illicit substances inside the vehicle.
What initially appeared to be a routine road accident had therefore turned into a major narcotics recovery operation.
The recovered drugs weighed 241.5 kilograms and were estimated by detectives to have a street value of approximately Ksh7,245,000.
The narcotics were secured as exhibits, with detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Nakuru County taking over the investigation.
Meanwhile, detectives launched a manhunt for the driver, who remained at large after abandoning the vehicle and escaping before police could apprehend him.
The latest recovery adds to a series of narcotics interceptions reported along the Nakuru-Nairobi route.
On April 30, detectives intercepted a vehicle travelling from Busia to Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, recovering several bales of cannabis sativa and arresting the driver.
A month later, anti-narcotics detectives intercepted a Toyota Noah and a Toyota Fielder at Karai in Naivasha. The operation led to the recovery of 50 kilograms of cannabis packed in 10 bales and the arrest of three suspects, among them a General Service Unit (GSU) officer.
