SHOTS FIRED IN RAID ON CITY DRUG HUBS

Nairobi

Anti-narcotics police fired into the air to disperse a crowd that
tried to attack them in a raid on drugs.

The four officers had arrested three suspects during the raid at
Mathare, Nairobi, after receiving information that several shops were
dealing in drugs.

But a crowd milling around the shops tried to free the suspects and in
the confusion, one escaped.

The crowd stoned vehicles as they blocked Juja Road for several hours,
causing a heavy traffic jam.

Fearing they might be overwhelmed by the swelling mob, the officers
fired several shots in the air and called for reinforcement.

The mob dispersed after Kasarani police chief Solomon Makau led a
contingent of police officers to the area, backed by the Rhino Team,
which was recently set up to deal with Mungiki sect members and matatu
touts.

The head of anti-narcotics unit Margaret Ngera said they recovered
brown heroin, rolls of bhang, driving licences, an assortment of
capsules and packets of kuber.

Other items include several packets of syringes, a gun holster,
cameras, mobile phones, identity cards and Sh 6,270.

She said the officers arrived in the area at 10 am and found a group of
people in an open field on Juja Road smoking bhang.

"We received information about several selling points in Bahati and
here. When officers arrived, they found people taking drugs and it is
at that point that a confrontation ensued as they tried to free their
colleagues," she said.

Nairobi police boss Kingori Mwangi visited the area accompanied by
senior policemen.