Police have arrested two Tanzanian nationals and a Ugandan woman in an anti-narcotics operation in Kwale County that led to the recovery of 454 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated street value of Ksh3.6 billion.
The multi-agency operation, led by the National Anti-Narcotics Bureau (NANB) Coast Region, followed intelligence linking the suspects to a separate seizure of 259 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine in Tanzania.
The operation began after Tanzanian authorities arrested a suspect, identified as Saleh Khamis, 45, on November 5, 2026, over alleged drug trafficking. He was subsequently handed over to Kenyan police officers at the Lunga Lunga–Horohoro border crossing.
Following his transfer to Kenya, investigators pursued intelligence leads that pointed to a wider drug trafficking network believed to be operating across the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The subsequent operation led officers to Kwale County, where they recovered the 454 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine, believed to have been part of a larger cross-border narcotics trafficking syndicate.
Two other suspects, both Tanzanian nationals, and a Ugandan woman were arrested during the operation as detectives intensified investigations into the source of the drugs, their intended destination and the possible involvement of other individuals.
The recovery, valued at approximately Ksh3.6 billion on the street market, represents a major breakthrough in efforts by security agencies to disrupt the movement of illegal drugs through the coastal region.
The Coast region, particularly areas along the Kenya-Tanzania border, has previously featured in investigations targeting suspected international drug trafficking networks that exploit cross-border routes to move narcotics between countries.
The involvement of suspects from three different nationalities has also raised questions about the possible international reach of the network and the role played by foreign nationals in the alleged trafficking operation.
Investigators are expected to establish whether the suspects were acting independently or as part of an organised criminal syndicate with links to drug suppliers and distributors in other countries.
The multi-agency team is also pursuing additional leads to identify possible accomplices and establish whether the recovered narcotics were destined for local distribution or international markets.
The suspects are expected to face further investigations as authorities work to build a case against them over their alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
The latest seizure underscores renewed efforts by Kenyan and regional security agencies to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations in the fight against transnational organised crime and the trafficking of illicit substances.
The suspects remain subject to the ongoing investigations, and the recovered substances will be subjected to the necessary forensic examination to establish their composition.
