A Ugandan national has been extradited to Kenya to face drug trafficking charges after allegedly sending a parcel laced with narcotics through a Nairobi courier facility.
The woman was rearrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after being brought in from Uganda. She was presented before a Nairobi court on Monday.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) secured the extradition through Interpol after investigations linked her to a suspicious shipment intercepted at JKIA’s DHL cargo shed in May 2023.
The package, destined for Bahrain, had been declared as a consignment of 25 shower curtains but was found to contain a greenish plant substance suspected to be narcotics.
Appearing before Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi at the JKIA Law Courts, the prosecution sought orders to detain the suspect for three working days to conclude investigations, including analysis of the seized substance and the recording of witness statements.
The parcel was allegedly sent from Kitengela, a Nairobi suburb, and addressed to a recipient in Bahrain. According to Prosecuting Counsel John Tago, the contents were concealed in a manner consistent with drug smuggling tactics and tested positive for banned psychotropic substances.
Following the seizure, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Anti-Narcotics Unit launched a manhunt for the suspect, who had reportedly fled to Uganda shortly after dispatching the parcel. The DPP's office coordinated with Interpol to facilitate her arrest and subsequent extradition.
She was nabbed upon arrival at JKIA’s immigration area and immediately taken into custody. She was processed for formal presentation in court. The prosecution argued that her detention was necessary to allow for the weighing and scientific analysis of the narcotics in her presence, as required by law.
Magistrate Gichobi granted the request, ordering that the suspect be held at Embakasi Police Station for three working days. She further directed that key witness statements be recorded during this time to support the ongoing investigation.
Investigators are expected to establish the quantity and type of narcotics concealed in the curtains, which will determine the specific charges she may face under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
The prosecution believes that the case forms part of a wider network of international drug trafficking and is treating the matter with urgency, given the destination of the parcel and the nature of concealment.
The suspect did not respond to the allegations in court, and no formal plea was taken during the brief session. The case will be mentioned again on August 11 for further directions, including possible charges.
The arrest is one of several recent operations by the Anti-Narcotics Unit targeting drug trafficking rings using courier services and international mail to export illicit substances.
