Exclusive details on the failed cocaine trafficking attempt at JKIA resulting in arrests
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The aftermath of the botched cocaine trafficking operation at JKIA: What we know so far
A Kenyan woman has been apprehended by detectives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after they discovered 57 cocaine pellets worth Sh3.5 million concealed in her undergarments.
The woman was headed to Madagascar when Anti-Narcotics Unit police intercepted her on Tuesday night.
“In the 10.30 pm interception, Apoko Damaris Adhiambo, 32 was flagged down at terminal A1’s central screening area, as she checked in to board Kenya Airways KQ 256 flight to Antananarivo, Madagascar” the DCI said in a statement.
“A body scanner at the checkpoint revealed suspicious items concealed around her privates, triggering a quick search that saw 600g of the hard drugs discovered. A spot test conducted on the discovery was positive for the coca product” the statement added.
The sleuths made more arrests after the suspect upon interrogation revealed her drug network.
Apoko exposed her boss, a Ugandan national identified as Harriet Asaba who was arrested and more narcotics were impounded.
Harriet Asaba.
“Deploying forensic technologies, detectives traced Asaba to Accra Road in Nairobi CBD and effected her arrest. In the painstaking pursuit to break the entire syndicate, the second suspect led officers to Free Area Hotel building and into the VIP Beauty Shop, where a meticulous search was conducted and another 33 pellets of crack found” DCI added.
Three more suspects namely Nangonzi Shirah (a Ugandan national), Esther Wanjiru, 24 and Sophia Kathambi aged 24 were also rounded up.
A presumptive test on the second recovery also tested positive for Cocaine, weighing approximately 396 grams.
Whereas prosecution processes have been instigated on the arrested suspects, further investigations are ongoing jointly with the InterPol team to track down the recipients of the drugs at Antananarivo.
Deported Nigerians now selling drugs in neighboring countries
Amid heightened was by the government on narcotics, at least eight Nigerians have been deported and several others charged in court for various offenses including drug trafficking, cybercrimes and money laundering in the last two weeks.
Detectives disclosed that some of the deported foreigners had relocated to neighbouring countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda where they co-ordinate delivery of drugs into Kenya through the land borders.
Fake passports Among those deported between March 18 and March 21 include Olayiwola Saheed Tunde and Nwosu Prince Chukwuebuka, who was arrested with a counterfeit of one million US dollars, 11 fake Nigerian passports and three fake Kenyan passports.
Also deported are Ajibade Adewale, Nwanonaku Alexander Odirachukwumma, Olayiwola Babatunde Akintomwa, Stephen Chigozie Nwachukwu and Ifaenyi Aginam Cosmos.
According to a report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the cartels have been thriving through protection from drug barons, politicians, some rogue police officers and other government officials.
Within the same period, drugs worth millions of shillings were also recovered with police warning that the amount of and demand for drugs in the country was fast increasing.
A Kenyan woman and her daughter were also arrested during the operation by the multi-agency team led by the DCI’s Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) at their residence in Nairobi with over 1.5 kilos of heroin with a street value of approximately Sh7.5 million, a weighing scale and assorted packaging material.
Investigations reveal that they are linked to a Nigerian group of drug dealers operating within and outside the country where they get the supplies.
The DCI said another Kenyan, Julius Koromo, was arrested within Ruaka estate while on a drug drop-off mission. He was arraigned on Wednesday last week at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) law courts and was granted a Sh500,000 bond and a surety of the same amount.
His motor vehicle, Honda Fit, was seized as an exhibit.
