Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have detained a middle-aged woman after discovering Ksh 3.5 million worth of narcotics in her possession.
On Sunday, authorities reported that the arrest took place in a coastal town when the woman was found carrying a brown bag. This operation was conducted following a tip-off from the public.
In an official statement, the DCI declared, “A Transnational Organized Crime Cartel has been dealt a blow following the arrest of one of their actors and subsequent recovery of Narcotic Drugs suspected to be heroin with a street value of Ksh 3,540,000.”
The suspect was apprehended by Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) detectives based in Mombasa, and Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) detectives stationed in Malindi. They acted on intelligence leads that led to the interception of the suspect carrying a brown bag believed to contain narcotic drugs.
The arrested woman will face court proceedings as the authorities continue their search for other individuals involved in the drug trafficking cartel.
These arrests occur as DCI detectives intensify efforts to combat drug dealers believed to be operating on an international scale. In mid-September, a Polish citizen was apprehended with Ksh 3.2 million worth of heroin at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The foreigner, aged 37, was intercepted by anti-narcotics officers moments before boarding a flight to Hungary at JKIA’s Terminal 1C. The suspected heroin was found concealed in the trafficker’s luggage.
The DCI emphasized, “All those caught up in the ring of traffickers and peddlers will be treated with the severity of the law, despite their roles in the trade.”
According to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), drug trafficking has seen a notable increase along the Kenyan coast over the years. As part of the country’s efforts to counter drug trafficking, the UNODC provided training to 20 officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) to combat these operations both on land and at sea.
