Imagine going out to have a good time but waking up at an odd hour with no recollection of what happened.
The only thing you can probably recall is the last sip of your favorite drink.
It appears this old trick by thugs of drugging and robbing revelers has returned to many Kenyan nightclubs if the recent happenings and stories shared on social media are anything to go by.
Kasarani Sub-county Police Commander (SCPC) Peter Mwanzo on Friday put at least 18 bar and club owners on notice over the rampant cases of revelers being stupefied and robbed.
The police boss summoned the owners to Kasarani police station for a meeting after cases of revellers being drugged and robbed at their entertainment joints increased in the last months.
Speaking to Nairobi News on phone, Mwanzo clarified he’d urged the bar owners to take responsibility and increase security measures in their establishments to avoid cases of robbery or they will also be charged for aiding and abetting as some of these incidents have turned fatal.
He warned bar owners that they would be held accountable if these cases were reported in their joints.
He also directed the business owners to install CCTV cameras in crucial spots in their premises to help catch criminals.
“I have warned them if a reveler reports that they were stupefied at one of the establishments, the owner will also be charged because they should know what is happening at their places of business,” he said.
A handful of Nairobi nightclubs have been known to collude with criminal elements to rob unsuspecting clients by spiking their drink with the infamous “mchele”.
Clubs and criminals are now working in cahoots to steal from revelers, and one of their favorite strategies is using drugs that have a stupefying effect on anyone who takes the drink laced with them.
Interviews with residents revealed a disturbing trend where twilight girls easily purchase drugs in estates on Thika Road and use them to rob patrons.
Sportsview, the Naivas supermarket neighbourhood at the GSU roundabout, and Seasons in Kasarani are particularly busy — with several banks, hotels, stalls, workshops, boutiques, and supermarkets doting the area.
The Kasarani police boss stated that they have learned that women are preying on men in clubs and spiking their drinks before robbing them of their valuables.
He also asked the bar owners to invest in bouncers who will keep an eye out for suspicious patrons, and also restrain men who may be drugged from going home with strangers who could potentially rob them.
Bar owners were also directed to hire waiters with integrity noting that some of them work in cahoots with criminals.
“Waiters are known to these women, and unless they are collaborating with these criminals they should know if they are predators and bar owners should hire staff with integrity,” the SCPC stated.
The OCPD cautioned that if these cases continue, they will take legal action against the bar owners and even move to cancel their operational licenses.
Among the clubs that police say have high cases of stupefying are Madola Lounge which is located within Hunter and Santon, Export Villa Lounge Club in Mwiki, Switch Club and Car Wash Club located less than 200 meters from the police station, Small Villa Lounge and Draggon Club, Uncle Sam all located in Githurai 44.
Q-West Club in Kahawa West, Homeland Club opposite Garden City Mall along Thika Road, Roasters Club also located along Thika Road, Castle Inn in Thome Estate.
The popular Quivers Club along Thika Road is also on the list, others are Left Club, Claret Club and Loft all located within Garden Estate.
Others the police said will target include Artic Club, Cocorico Club both in Mirema area and By-Pass Villa along the Northern by-pass in Kahawa West.
The symptoms of drink spiking are often similar to being drunk, and include slurred speech, dizziness, drowsiness, sickness, headaches, confusion and passing out.
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