Police in Bomet have launched a manhunt for two suspects who fled into the darkness after abandoning a motorcycle and a sack containing 249 rolls of suspected cannabis sativa during a night operation in Chemomul Village, Bomet Central Sub-county.
The two were intercepted by officers from Bomet Police Station following a tip-off from members of the public over suspected drug trafficking in the area. Police mounted a night ambush and stopped a red Boxer 100 motorcycle carrying two people and a suspicious sack.
The suspects, a rider and a pillion passenger, allegedly abandoned the motorcycle and the sack before escaping on foot into the darkness.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), officers searched the abandoned luggage and found 249 rolls of suspected cannabis sativa.
“A subsequent search of the abandoned sack revealed 249 rolls of suspected cannabis sativa,” the NPS stated in a statement.
Police secured the suspected narcotics as exhibits together with the motorcycle, which was identified as registration number KMGX 534N.
The two suspects remain at large as officers continue with efforts to trace and arrest them. Investigations are also expected to establish the source and intended destination of the suspected drug consignment.
The NPS said the operation was made possible by information provided by members of the public, alongside cooperation from local administration officials and law enforcement officers.
“The National Police Service commends the local administration and members of the public for their continued cooperation and for sharing vital information in the ongoing fight against illicit brews and drugs.”
The service urged residents to continue reporting suspicious and criminal activities to the authorities, saying information from the public remains important in helping officers identify and disrupt suspected drug trafficking activities.
The Bomet operation is part of ongoing efforts by authorities to curb the distribution and use of illicit drugs and other prohibited substances across the country.
Police said the recovery of the suspected cannabis prevented the consignment from being moved further after the two suspects abandoned it while trying to escape from the scene.
The motorcycle remains in police custody as investigations continue, while officers work to identify and apprehend the two people who fled during the operation.
The NPS has encouraged members of the public to report criminal or suspicious activities at the nearest police station or through the national emergency toll-free numbers 999 and 911.
Information can also be shared anonymously through the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' Fichua Kwa DCI platform on 0800 722 203 or via WhatsApp on 0709 570 000.
Authorities are expected to continue with investigations as the search for the two suspects linked to the abandoned motorcycle and suspected cannabis consignment continues.