The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and Kenya Airways (KQ) have unveiled a major partnership aimed at tightening the fight against drug trafficking and human trafficking through Kenya’s aviation network.
The collaboration was announced after a high-level meeting between Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga and Kenya Airways Managing Director Allan Kilavuka, where both sides agreed on a new joint framework to enhance early detection, investigations and staff training across the airline’s operations.
Kenya continues to face increasingly sophisticated trafficking syndicates that use commercial flights, airport systems and transit routes to move narcotics and vulnerable victims. Between 2024 and 2025 alone, more than 3.2 tonnes of drugs were seized nationally, with heroin interceptions at airports rising by 27%.
At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), over 40 arrests linked to trafficking syndicates were recorded during the same period, and more than 150 airline-related trafficking cases have been documented in the past decade.
Against this backdrop, both the ODPP and Kenya Airways agreed on several areas of action, beginning with the establishment of a structured operational framework to boost early detection and reporting of trafficking cases. The collaboration will also improve coordination in investigations and strengthen the quality of evidence presented in court.
DPP Ingonga stressed that stronger cooperation across agencies would be central to breaking trafficking networks.
“Enhanced cooperation between aviation security units, investigative agencies, and prosecutors will improve case outcomes and disrupt the criminal infrastructure behind trafficking operations,” he said.
To accelerate information flow and support quick intervention, he proposed a dedicated liaison mechanism linking Kenya Airways Security, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Anti-Narcotics Unit (DCI-ANU) and the ODPP. The mechanism will specifically focus on aviation-related offences.
Both parties also noted that frontline airline staff such as cabin crew, ground workers and cargo handlers are often at risk of coercion or infiltration by criminal groups.
To address this, the partnership will introduce targeted training programs on trafficking indicators, risk profiling and proper handling of exhibits to ensure evidence remains intact throughout investigations and prosecution.
Ingonga emphasized that prosecution-guided investigations have already shown strong results. “When investigative bodies work closely with the prosecution, evidence trails are stronger, and the chances of securing convictions rise,” he said.
Kilavuka welcomed the collaboration, noting that joint operations with security agencies have previously led to successful controlled deliveries, enhanced screening and dismantling of trafficking networks using air transport.
He also praised the ODPP for securing the conviction of three Kenya Airways staff found guilty of trafficking heroin worth over Sh60 million, saying the ruling “sent a powerful message on internal accountability.”
Both the ODPP and Kenya Airways affirmed that the protection of Kenya’s airports and aviation routes is central to safeguarding the country’s reputation as a regional air hub.
The new partnership marks a significant step forward in countering criminal exploitation of the air transport sector.
