Many residents of Lamu are unwilling to speak out on drug dealers for fear of repercussions, including death or harassment by gangs.
Snitching on drug dealers usually lands one in hospital or the morgue.
County commissioner Irungu Macharia said the community has not been supportive when it comes to speaking about who these individuals are.
“The community has failed us by refusing to cooperate and expose who these people are. That way they have not only provided a market for the drugs but have also ensured the dealers thrive,” he said.
The shielding of drug dealers has provided them with the perfect environment to thrive and frustrate the efforts of security agencies to fight drugs.
Although several individuals have been charged and jailed, the county is still struggling with the war on drugs, especially cocaine and heroin.
The two drugs that go by the street name of ‘unga’ are normally sourced from areas like Shimoni in Kwale, Mombasa county and other parts of the country.
They are then transported to Lamu in vehicles and boats while disguised as clothing bales, perfumes or groceries.
These tactics reduce the chances of the drugs being noticed by security officers.
Once in Lamu, the drugs are sold to local dealers who then sell to their clients.
The county is also trying to fight bhang and prescription drugs.
Macharia has urged the community to join other stakeholders in exposing those behind the drug trade to save future generations.
The administrator said without demand, there would be no market for drugs in Lamu.
Drug hotspots in Lamu include Langoni, Jua Kali, Gadeni, Wiyoni, Kashmir, Kandahar, Lamu town, Pate, Faza, Kizingitini, Tchundwa, Myabogi and Mbwajumwali.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with Mewa hospital and the county government has established a Methadone clinic at Lamu King Fahad Hospital to help drug addicts recover.
The medically assisted therapy clinic has helped more than 300 addicts by giving them the chance to reform and live more productive lives.
The Sh98 million methadone clinic in Hindi, Lamu West, was opened in April 2019.
The facility can host 100 people at one go.
Treatment services include detoxification, substitution or maintenance therapy and or psychosocial therapies and counselling, while duration depends on patient's problem and need.
There has been an outcry over the high cost of rehab services at the facility.
A three-month session costs not less than Sh90,000, which is way too high for many people
Edited by A.N
