MOMBASA, Kenya – Security agencies have intensified surveillance and enforcement at the Port of Mombasa and other border points as the government steps up efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks fueling alcohol and substance abuse across Kenya.
The Interior Ministry says all major entry and exit points are now under tighter, coordinated monitoring after drug and alcohol abuse was declared a national emergency, citing its growing threat to public safety, health outcomes and economic stability.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, speaking in Mombasa, said the enhanced controls are being executed through intelligence-led, multi-agency operations under the Border Control and Operations Coordinating Committee.
The framework brings together security, investigative and regulatory agencies responsible for border management.
“The objective is to disrupt trafficking supply chains before illicit drugs and illegal alcohol reach communities,” Omollo said, noting that border enforcement has become a central pillar of the government’s anti-drug strategy.
National emergency response
The intensified border controls follow a presidential proclamation directing security agencies to tighten enforcement while working alongside prevention, rehabilitation and asset recovery institutions.
In his New Year’s address, President William Ruto warned that substance abuse had escalated into a nationwide crisis, revealing that more than 4.7 million Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 are currently using at least one substance of abuse.
Alcohol remains the most widely consumed, with officials cautioning that early exposure during adolescence significantly raises long-term health and social risks.
As part of the response, the Anti-Narcotics Unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is being expanded and retooled to handle complex trafficking cases.
The unit will deploy enhanced surveillance systems, forensic analysis, financial investigations and intelligence-sharing mechanisms.
It will work closely with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the National Intelligence Service, county governments and international partners.
Asset recovery and faster prosecutions
The Assets Recovery Agency has also been directed to trace and confiscate property and finances linked to narcotics trafficking and the illicit alcohol trade, including assets tied to cross-border criminal syndicates.
Omollo said the reinforced border operations were already yielding results, with increased seizures, arrests and shutdowns of illegal operations as monitoring at ports and transit corridors tightens.
He added that specialised courts designated to handle drug-related cases were helping to fast-track prosecutions, reducing delays and strengthening accountability.
Recent meth seizure highlights threat
The renewed focus comes months after a major maritime interception in October, when security agencies seized over one tonne of methamphetamine aboard a stateless vessel in the Indian Ocean.
The consignment, valued at Sh8.2 billion, was intercepted during a coordinated operation involving maritime and investigative units.
The vessel, Igor, had previously been flagged by international authorities over suspected involvement in drug trafficking within the Western Indian Ocean. Six Iranian nationals were arrested and investigations are ongoing.
Methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic stimulant typically produced in illegal laboratories, is associated with severe addiction, mental health disorders and long-term physical harm.
The operation involved officers from the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Coast Guard Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and NACADA.
