Nairobi — Police officers have intercepted a vehicle transporting 181 kilograms of suspected narcotics along the Webuye-Kitale Highway in an operation targeting drug trafficking networks, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed.

NPS officers flagged down the vehicle during the operation, but the driver defied an order to stop and sped away, triggering a high-speed pursuit.

The chase ended at Malaha Junction when the vehicle developed mechanical problems, forcing the driver to abandon it and flee on foot.

"A thorough search of the vehicle revealed that it was transporting substances suspected to be bhang, carefully packed in multiple bales," the NPS said Monday.

The suspect managed to evade immediate arrest, with police confirming that the consignment consisted of 46 bales of suspected narcotics, weighing a combined total of 181 kilograms.

The vehicle has since been towed to Webuye Police Station as investigations continue, with security agencies pursuing the suspect involved in the attempted transportation of the illicit drugs.

The NPS emphasized that the interception reflects ongoing efforts by security agencies to disrupt the trafficking and distribution of illegal drugs across the country.