NAIROBI, Kenya- A multi-agency security team has intercepted narcotics worth over Sh10.5 million at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in what authorities describe as a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking.
The operation, led by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, was carried out on Tuesday morning at the United Parcel Service-G4S facility located within the Kenya Airways cargo shed.
According to investigators, the suspicious consignment was destined for Las Piñas in the Philippines and had been falsely declared as “handmade bags and clothes” in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
However, a thorough physical inspection by the joint team revealed concealed white crystal substances hidden inside two handbags and wrapped in clear packaging.
Preliminary tests confirmed the substance to be methamphetamine, weighing 1,320 grams, with an estimated street value of Sh10,560,000.
Authorities have since seized the consignment, which will be used as evidence, as detectives intensify investigations to identify and apprehend those behind the trafficking attempt.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations said it remains committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks through intelligence-led operations and coordinated efforts among security agencies.
The seizure highlights ongoing efforts by Kenyan authorities to curb the use of international airports as transit points for illicit drugs, amid growing concerns over transnational narcotics trade.
