A coordinated anti-narcotics operation spanning Mombasa, Kitengela, and Busia has led to the arrest of five suspects.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the operations were conducted in separate intelligence-led missions by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU).
In the coastal operation, detectives acting on intelligence intercepted a lorry suspected of ferrying narcotics along a key transport corridor.
DCI said a search of the vehicle uncovered nine sacks of cannabis sativa weighing a total of 450 kilograms, with an estimated street value of Sh12,150,000.
The driver and his suspected accomplice were arrested at the scene.
In Kitengela, detectives raided an entertainment establishment where they recovered two bales of cannabis sativa, 16 rolls of bhang, and a zip-lock bag containing additional quantities of the drug. One suspect was arrested during the operation.
Meanwhile, in Busia County, officers mounted an ambush in the Butula Mission area following intelligence reports on suspected cross-border trafficking activity.
A vehicle was flagged down and searched, leading to the recovery of two tightly packed sacks of cannabis sativa.
"The occupants were immediately arrested and escorted to Busia Police Station together with the recovered exhibits," the agency said.
All the suspects remain in custody and are undergoing processing pending arraignment. The seized narcotics and impounded vehicles have been detained as exhibits as investigations continue.
In its statement, the DCI said the net is tightening around narcotics traffickers, adding that officers remain determined in their mission to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating across multiple counties.
“The crackdown continues as law enforcement agencies turn up the heat on drug traffickers, determined to curb the menace of narcotics trafficking in our communities," the agency stated.
Members of the public have been urged to support ongoing operations by providing information through confidential reporting channels. The DCI reiterated its call under the #FichuaKwaDCI campaign, encouraging anonymous reporting via toll-free and WhatsApp lines.
Authorities say the multi-county crackdown marks part of a sustained effort to weaken trafficking networks, with further operations expected as investigations continue and leads are pursued across different regions.
The operations come weeks after police officers arrested two suspects and recovered cannabis sativa, illicit alcohol and other contraband in separate anti-narcotics operations conducted in Migori and Murang’a counties.
According to the National Police Service (NPS), the operations were part of an ongoing crackdown targeting drug trafficking and the illegal alcohol trade in different parts of the country.
NPS commended officers involved in the operations, saying the arrests demonstrate the agency’s commitment to combating narcotics trafficking and illicit brews that continue to affect communities across the country.
