Truckloads of Miraa Worth Ksh3.5 Million Impounded

A food supplies truck driver who was assaulted by the police on Friday, March 27, 2020
A food supplies truck driver who was assaulted by the police on Friday, March 27, 2020

A lorry ferrying miraa (Khat) worth Ksh3.5 million from Meru was impounded on Sunday, March 29, at Witu Police Station in Lamu.

The truck which had come from Meru County was stopped at a traffic check and upon search was found to be carrying a miraa consignment headed for Somalia.

This was in contravention of a Lamu County Commissioner (CC) Irungu Macharia's directive banning the sale and transportation of miraa and muguka in the county in a bid to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus. 

Miraa traders at Kiengu miraa market in Igembe Central, Meru County on September 6, 2016.
Miraa traders at Kiengu miraa market in Igembe Central, Meru County on September 6, 2016.
Daily Nation

His directive came in the wake of Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties issuing similar directives towards miraa and muguka sale, a drug that has a huge demand in the four counties

Curiously, the neighbouring Tana River County had refuted claims that they had impounded the same truck transporting miraa.

Tana River Police Commander Patrick Kafulo said that the transporters had requested to park the trucks at Hola Police Station to adhere to the nationwide night-to-dawn curfew imposed from Friday, March 20. 

Miraa transport vehicles along the Nyeri-Nanyuki highway on September 8, 2017.
Miraa transport vehicles along the Nyeri-Nanyuki highway on September 8, 2017.
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“The trucks resumed their trip in the early hours of the morning after the curfew hours were over and continued their way to Lamu”, said the police commander.

Tana River County is among the counties that banned the sale of miraa for one month as a preventive measure in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

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