NAIROBI, Kenya- A Ugandan national accused of trafficking cannabis into Kenya has been extradited to face charges after more than two years on the run.
Hellen Ikareut was arrested in Uganda on August 5, 2025, following a joint operation involving the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Office of the Attorney General, Interpol Kenya, and Ugandan authorities.
Her arrest was facilitated through Mutual Legal Assistance and extradition protocols under the East African Community framework.
The case dates back to May 18, 2023, when detectives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s DHL Cargo Section intercepted a suspicious shipment. Inside a carton box containing 25 shower curtains, officers discovered 4,186.34 grams of cannabis sativa concealed to evade detection.
UGANDAN WOMAN EXTRADITED TO KENYA IN CANNABIS TRAFFICKING CASE ARRAIGNEDA cross-border manhunt has ended with the arrest and extradition of Hellen Ikareut, a Ugandan woman accused of masterminding a high-stakes cannabis trafficking plot.Ikareut, a key player in a
Investigations linked the shipment to Ikareut, prompting a manhunt that led authorities to her hideout in Uganda. Following her extradition, she was handed over to Kenyan law enforcement and arraigned at the JKIA Law Courts on August 11, 2025, where she was charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs.
The case will be mentioned again on August 25, 2025.
According to the DCI, the successful arrest and extradition highlight the importance of cross-border cooperation in tackling organised crime in the region.
