JKIA police seize cocaine worth Sh2.8 million concealed in books and destined for Saudi

Police are investigating an incident in which 700 grams of cocaine worth Sh2.8 million were seized at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi in cargo destined for Saudi Arabia.

A multi-agency team wants to establish whether the attempted shipment of the cargo, which was concealed in four books, was the first of its kind.

The team is pursuing the possible sender of the cargo, officials aware of the incident said.

The seizure occurred on Tuesday at an export warehouse within the airport.

The consignment, which originated from Busia and was destined for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had been declared as containing two document holders and four storybooks, police said.

However, upon physical inspection, officials at the airport discovered a whitish powdery substance concealed within false compartments of the document holders.

Preliminary tests conducted by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) at JKIA indicated that the substance was cocaine, weighing approximately 710 grams, with an estimated street value of Sh2.84 million.

Authorities said the drugs had been carefully wrapped in polythene papers and hidden to evade detection.

The shipment was seized and detained as investigations continue to establish those behind the attempted trafficking and the intended recipients.

Police said further action will be taken once investigations are complete.

No arrests had been made by Wednesday, even as the team handling the matter tried to establish the source.

Other officials said they believe the seizure is a sign the trend has been ongoing.

“There seems to be a market in the Gulf, and the seizure is a sign those behind it have been doing it. We are trying to know more,” said an official aware of the probe.

Cases of drug trafficking have been on the decline in recent days following increased surveillance by detectives at major points of entry.

Dozens of suspects have since been arrested in operations at various ports and inland areas. They are currently facing various charges.

Officials say they have deployed several measures to address the menace.

Most of the seized cocaine and heroin originate from neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania before being repackaged for shipping elsewhere, police investigations show.

The ANU has been revamped and allocated more resources as part of efforts to address the menace of drug trafficking and consumption.

ANU personnel have been expanded from 200 to 700 officers and equipped with modern surveillance, intelligence, forensic, and financial investigation tools to target high-level drug traffickers and illicit alcohol networks.