Two individuals were apprehended on Thursday in Nairobi’s Fedha estate, with authorities seizing 700 grams of cocaine valued at Sh2.8 million during a targeted police operation aimed at curbing the escalating cases of drug trafficking, possession, and consumption.
According to police reports, the suspects include a 52-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man, both found in possession of the illicit substance. Investigators revealed that the drugs were procured in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the man on behalf of the woman, intended for distribution within Nairobi’s affluent nightlife districts.
The female suspect, described as a seasoned trafficker, had purportedly enlisted the man as an apprentice within her drug trafficking network.
This arrest holds particular significance in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and consumption in the region, as stated by law enforcement authorities.
Earlier in 2021, the same woman allegedly orchestrated a failed drug smuggling operation to Thailand, resulting in the arrest and subsequent life sentences of three Kenyan drug couriers in the country.
In a separate incident, authorities recently made headway in dismantling a drug cartel operating within a Mombasa university, arresting a suspect linked to the illegal trade and recovering four kilograms of heroin valued at Sh2 million. The apprehended suspect is reportedly the son of a notorious drug trafficker wanted in the area.
Despite concerted efforts to curb drug-related offenses, cases of trafficking, possession, and consumption persist across various regions of the country, prompting ongoing crackdowns resulting in numerous arrests and charges.
Notably, law enforcement officials highlight the evolving tactics employed by traffickers, who increasingly utilize road networks instead of traditional air travel routes for their illicit activities.
The most commonly trafficked narcotics, namely heroin and cocaine, are typically sourced from neighboring Tanzania and Uganda.
These developments coincide with findings from a recent National Drug Survey conducted by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), which underscored the widespread abuse of prescription medications within the country.
