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5 arrested in Garissa crackdown on drugs, illegal pharmacies

Wangari Gachoki, NACADA's North Eastern regional boss, said drugs and other substances were being combined with miraa (khat). (Photo: File/ Yasuyoshi Chiba/ AFP)

By Issa Hussein | 07 Mar 2024

The operation by Garissa municipality, NACADA and the Pharmacy and Posions Board also saw the closure of unregistered pharmacies.

Five people have been arrested in Garissa town in a crackdown against drug and substance abuse that has seen raids conducted at kiosks and peddlers' suspected hideouts.

The operation began on Wednesday evening, jointly conducted by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and Garissa municipality.

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Wangai Gachoki, NACADA's North Eastern regional boss, said the five were taken to the Garissa Police Station ahead of a court appearance on Friday.

Gachoki said investigations have found that drugs and other substances were being combined with miraa (khat).

"Antidepressants and some injectables were used during muguka and miraa-chewing sessions by the 15-40 age group," he said.

Muguka, also referred to as green gold, is a khat variant and a herbal stimulant which farmers in parts of Kenya have turned to after facing challenges growing food crops.

Gachoki said the operation also saw the closure of unregistered pharmacies, adding that one affected person who administered injectables escaped arrest.

He also reported that cases of truancy in schools were on the rise as some students were under the influence of drugs and other substances.

Noting that the drugs confiscated in the crackdown were dangerous and that Kenya had banned some of them, PSB official Abdinassir Ahmed warned pharmacies against selling them.

"We will not hesitate to cancel your licence if you are found selling these harmful drugs," he warned.

Municipality Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Abdi said the crackdown will continue for a week to ensure all criminals behind drug and substance abuse are nabbed.

He asked the police to help the municipality and other stakeholders fight the menace, saying the rate of the abuse of drugs and other substances was high.

He also announced a bill currently at the county assembly that will control the operations of local bars.