Police in Nakuru have recovered 241.5kg of bhang worth an estimated Sh7.2 million after an SUV transporting the consignment crashed along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway.
The Mazda CX-5, registration number KDW 640U, was travelling from Nakuru towards Nairobi when the driver reportedly attempted to overtake and lost control before colliding with an oncoming Scania trailer.
The impact caused the vehicle to spin and sustain extensive damage to its front section.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the driver abandoned the wreckage and fled the scene, leaving behind the cargo.
“During scene processing, officers discovered six sacks of bhang inside the Mazda CX-5,” the DCI said in a statement on Monday.
The recovered narcotics weighed 241.5 kilogrammes and had an estimated street value of Sh7,245,000.
The discovery was made along the highway between Shiners Boys and the Mbaruk area as officers processed the crash scene.
The DCI said the exhibits had since been secured, with detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) in Nakuru taking over the investigation.
Detectives have also launched a manhunt for the driver, who remains at large.
The incident has opened a drug trafficking investigation, with officers seeking to establish where the bhang was sourced and its intended destination.
The DCI said it remained committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks and ensuring those involved in the illicit narcotics trade are brought to justice.
The agency has urged members of the public with information that could help identify or locate the suspect to report anonymously through its toll-free number 0800 722 203 or WhatsApp number 0709 570 000.
The recovery comes as police continue investigations into the movement of illicit narcotics through major transport corridors in the country.
The SUV and the six sacks of bhang remain part of the evidence being examined as detectives work to trace the suspect and establish other individuals who may have been involved in the consignment.