Detectives acting on intelligence leads intercepted a car speeding towards the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport along Wangari Maathai Road in early June 2023.
In a statement released on Friday, June 23, the sleuths drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stated that the undercover operation was conducted on Saturday, June 17, outside Nairobi CBD.
Detectives camouflaged among motorists plying Wangari Maathai Road, formerly known as Forest Road, pounced on the driver, who drove straight into their trap in the high-stakes game of deception.
Alongside one passenger, the duo were arrested after police traced cocaine worth Ksh120 million concealed inside their car.
According to the DCI, the suspected drug dealers had disguised the drugs in packages of white powder to avoid detection.
23 cartoons containing the powders were recovered during the operation led by intel gathered from anonymous sources.
Police also raided an apartment in Ngara which is believed to have been the main operating centre for the suspects.
Five other suspects were arrested at the scene, with more cocaine discovered in the apartment. Police suspected the product was set to be repackaged and transported to an unknown location.
"Upon further search at the suspects’ residence that 46 drums stashed with whitish powdery substances packed in clear polythene bags were recovered.
"In addition, 55 packages in clear polythene bags containing similar powdery substances suspected to be Narcotic drugs were also recovered and a further 133 sacks each weighing 25kgs marked sodium bicarbonate," read the statement in part.
DCI revealed that the substance was weighed and tested at a forensic lab to ascertain its value.
The suspects are set to be arraigned at the JKIA Chief Magistrate's Court on Monday, June 26.
Further, the agency cautioned Kenyans to be cautious of the increasing cases of drug trafficking. DCI detailed that a foreigner of Thai descent was also arrested at JKIA on Thursday, June 22 after being in possession of 3 kilograms of cocaine.
The suspect almost evaded the hawk-eyed detectives, but the latter seized her before she laughed all the way to the bank.
