This archive report was first published on 12 August 2019.
On August 12, 2019, Mombasa Police Commander Johnstone Ipara issued a statement urging businessman Ali Punjani to present himself at a local police station for questioning regarding drug trafficking allegations.
As part of an intensive crackdown on drugs in the county, launched by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i, 18 people have been arrested so far.
Police officers and sniffer dogs were deployed to the compound of Punjani's Nyali home on the evening of August 12, 2019, in an effort to search for evidence of drug trafficking.
According to Ipara, if Punjani refuses to cooperate, police will be forced to break into the house and conduct a thorough search.
"We will not leave until we search this house top to bottom and establish that there are no drug substances inside," Ipara stated.
Among those arrested in the crackdown are Bofu Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Ahmed Salama, who is expected to be arraigned in court on August 13, 2019.
During the operation, police recovered 42 heroin sachets, 147 rolls of bhang, and Ksh.608,000 in fake currency.
