Authorities are intensifying efforts to combat drug trafficking as traffickers continue to employ increasingly creative smuggling techniques. Smugglers have devised various ways to conceal narcotics, ranging from hidden compartments in backpacks to seemingly ordinary shipments.
Despite these evolving tactics, recent operations in Kenya have successfully disrupted major drug trafficking attempts, seizing large quantities of cannabis sativa and arresting key suspects.
In one notable case in Siaya County, a trafficker attempted to send a suspicious package to Mombasa disguised as a regular cargo delivery. The trafficker packed the illegal goods in a nylon sack, hoping the packaging would avoid suspicion.
The plan, however, unraveled when the trafficker suddenly disappeared during a routine inspection at the booking office. This disappearance immediately raised suspicions among the staff.
Sensing something unusual, a vigilant booking office attendant quickly alerted the police. Officers arrived on the scene and began to inspect the contents of the sack.
Initially, the sack appeared to contain only raw bananas. However, upon further examination, the officers discovered 245 long rolls of cannabis sativa weighing 17.5 kilograms, hidden beneath the fruit.
The police promptly transported the seized drugs to Siaya Police Station for safekeeping. Meanwhile, authorities launched a manhunt to track down the trafficker who remains at large.
In another significant operation, the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi apprehended two high-profile drug traffickers.
Teresia Nduku, a Kenyan, and Simba Kitwana Khamri, a Tanzanian national, were arrested in Dohnholm, Nairobi, following an intelligence-driven operation aimed at dismantling a prominent drug distribution network.
After their arrest, Nduku and Khamri cooperated with the authorities and led detectives to their residence in the Manyanzani area of Tala, Kangundo Sub-County. During a search of the house, law enforcement officers discovered a backpack containing a hidden compartment filled with cannabis sativa. In addition to the drugs, the police recovered a digital scale and incriminating documents linked to the trafficking operation.
Investigations revealed that the cannabis sativa found in the traffickers’ possession originated from abroad. The unique strain, otherwise locally known as kiforeign, had likely entered Kenya through the Namanga border, a known entry point for illicit goods.
Intelligence reports identified Khamri as an expert in packaging and disguising drugs, primarily using backpacks to transport narcotics across borders for distribution within Kenya and beyond.
Authorities estimate that one gram of this particular strain of cannabis sativa could fetch up to Ksh 8,000 on the street. However, further analysis is necessary to determine the exact characteristics of the strain and assess its broader impact on Kenya’s drug market.
Nduku and Khamri are in custody awaiting formal charges.
