Suspects arrested as officers bust cannabis smuggling routes into Nairobi

Two separate anti-narcotics operations along major transport and border routes have led to the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of cannabis sativa hidden in a vehicle and luggage, as police step up action against trafficking networks targeting Nairobi.

In the first incident, officers acting on intelligence intercepted a vehicle along the Nairobi–Nakuru highway after tracking suspected movement of drugs into the capital. The operation involved officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit and the Transnational Organised Crime Unit of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Police stopped a Daihatsu Mira registration number KDH 389A, which was travelling to Nairobi from Busia. A search of the vehicle uncovered several bales of cannabis sativa concealed inside. The driver, identified as Sylvester Kiiru Mwangi, was arrested at the scene as officers secured the consignment before it could reach Nairobi.

In a second operation at the Kenya–Uganda border, officers based at Malaba Police Station stopped another attempt to smuggle drugs into the country. The suspect, Julius Okadapao, a 31-year-old Ugandan national, was arrested at the Posta area in Malaba after his luggage raised suspicion among officers on duty.

Police said the suspect was carrying a box and a briefcase that appeared unusually heavy for a normal traveller. A quick inspection led to the discovery of 17 carefully wrapped bales of cannabis sativa hidden inside the luggage.

Investigators believe the drugs recovered in both cases were headed for Nairobi, where they were to be repackaged and distributed within local markets. Authorities say the seizures point to coordinated trafficking routes that rely on highways and border points to move narcotics across regions.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the operations form part of ongoing surveillance and intelligence-led policing targeting drug trafficking networks operating across counties and borders. The agency added that traffickers continue to exploit major transport corridors and porous entry points to supply urban centres.

Both suspects are in police custody and are undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment in court. Investigations are ongoing to establish wider networks linked to the seized narcotics.

The agency reiterated its commitment to sustained crackdowns on both local distributors and international suppliers, urging members of the public to share information through confidential reporting channels, including hotline and WhatsApp lines.

Police say surveillance has been increased along highways, border points, and urban centres identified as key distribution routes, as part of broader efforts to curb drug trafficking and abuse in the country.