Police seize 454kg of suspected methamphetamine worth Sh3.6bn in Kwale

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 8-Police have seized 454 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine valued at approximately Sh3.6 billion in Kwale County, arresting three foreign nationals in a multi-agency operation targeting an alleged international drug trafficking network.

The suspects, comprising two Tanzanian nationals and a Ugandan woman, were arrested following intelligence linking them to a separate seizure of 259 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine in Tanzania.

The operation was led by the National Anti-Narcotics Bureau (NANB) Coast Region and involved Kenyan and Tanzanian security agencies.

It followed the arrest of a 45-year-old Tanzanian national, identified as Saleh Khamis, by Tanzanian authorities on November 5, 2026, over alleged drug trafficking.

Khamis was subsequently handed over to Kenyan police officers at the Lunga Lunga–Horohoro border crossing, paving the way for further investigations into the suspected cross-border trafficking network.

Police said the intelligence-led operation culminated in the recovery of 454 kilogrammes of suspected methamphetamine in Kwale.

The seizure is among the major drug interceptions reported in the Coast region, highlighting concerns over cross-border narcotics trafficking and the movement of illicit substances through the region.

Investigations are ongoing to establish the source of the drugs, their intended destination, and whether more individuals are involved in the suspected trafficking network.

​Bruhan Makong is a Senior News Reporter for Capital FM in Nairobi, covering diplomacy, foreign policy, national security, climate, and human rights across East Africa and the wider region.