Police in Nairobi have foiled a cocaine trafficking operation to Madagascar, resulting in the arrest of at least five women. The suspects planned to transport 57 pellets of cocaine, valued at Sh3.5 million, through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
This bust marks the latest success in an ongoing effort to combat drug trafficking in the region. Detectives from the anti-narcotics unit discovered the illicit substance hidden in a woman’s undergarments during routine screening procedures.
The interception occurred on Tuesday at terminal A1’s central screening area, where the woman was preparing to board a flight to Madagascar. A body scanner detected suspicious items concealed around her body, leading to a thorough search. Over 600 grams of cocaine were uncovered during the operation.
Following interrogation by female anti-narcotics officers, the woman confessed to being recruited by a Ugandan national residing in Nairobi. Authorities swiftly apprehended the Ugandan suspect on Accra Road in Nairobi’s CBD.
Subsequently, a second suspect guided officers to a beauty shop where an additional 33 pellets of cocaine were found. Three more individuals were arrested at the scene.
Both seizures underwent presumptive testing, confirming the presence of cocaine. The combined weight of the confiscated drugs amounted to approximately 996 grams.
“This operation underscores our commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and holding perpetrators accountable,” stated a police spokesperson.
