Detectives drawn from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) on Thursday, December 12, arrested a middle-aged woman at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while attempting to traffic drugs to Doha, Qatar.
The 27-year-old suspect was arrested by the ANU detectives, who, together with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) officials, screened her luggage and found suspicious items packed in packets.
According to the DCI, detectives based at the airport opened the items only to find 2 kgs of Cannabis Sativa concealed inside maize flour packets.
Following her arrest, the woman was escorted to the ANU offices where detectives conducted further interrogations.
“ANU offices searched her luggage and revealed that she had concealed the drugs inside maize flour packets- not knowing that hawk-eyed detectives would nip her plans in the bud,” the DCI Officers noted.
“The DCI's resolve in the fight against the sale, distribution, trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs remains high throughout the festive season and after that,” the officers added.
It is not the first time detectives have arrested a suspect ferrying drugs abroad through the country's main airport, in March this year, DCI officers arrested another woman who was attempting to smuggle cocaine abroad.
According to the detectives, the woman was arrested while heading to board a plane to Madagascar.
A body scanner at the checkpoint revealed suspicious items concealed around her waist, prompting the officers to search her body only to find packets of cocaine.
The DCI stated the woman led them to a syndicate of other four women who were involved in the trade. According to the first suspect, a Ugandan national who lives in Kenya introduced her to the trade.
The arrest of the Ugandan suspect led to the arrest of three other suspects who admitted to being part of the syndicate that traffics drugs abroad through the main airport.
“Presumptive test on the second recovery also tested positive for cocaine, weighing approximately 396 grams," stated DCI.
