Police have rescued 12 foreign nationals from Ethiopia and arrested two suspects during an operation targeting a suspected human trafficking network in Thindigua, Kiambu County.
The operation was conducted on Friday evening by officers from the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU), working jointly with Kiambu East police officers, following intelligence reports.
The officers raided a three-bedroom apartment in Thindigua, where they found 14 foreign nationals—eight women and six men—believed to have been living under suspicious circumstances.
According to police, one of the suspects was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking after allegedly harbouring the foreigners while falsely promising them networking jobs.
A second suspect was arrested for allegedly being unlawfully present in Kenya after officers established that his passport had expired.
During the operation, detectives recovered 14 passports belonging to foreign nationals and a mobile phone, all of which were seized for forensic examination and verification.
The two suspects were taken into custody for processing and further investigations.
The remaining 12 foreign nationals were issued with police medical examination forms (P52) and directed to report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters on Monday, July 13, for further interviews and processing.
Police said investigations are ongoing to establish whether the victims were being trafficked or exploited under the guise of employment opportunities, and whether additional suspects are involved in the suspected trafficking network.
The incident comes amid police operations on suspected smuggling incidents.
This is the latest such incident to happen in the country.
The group said they were running from problems in their country and headed to South Africa, seeking greener pastures.
Police said most of the aliens use the Moyale route as they head to South Africa and the Middle East, oblivious of the dangers ahead.
Tens of aliens are often arrested in various places in the country as they wait to be moved to their next destinations.
Police and immigration officials have deplored increased cases of Ethiopian aliens nabbed in the country while in transit.
Officials from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit are conducting joint operations to deal with human smuggling.
Most of those arrested come to Kenya to seek jobs or are in transit.
What is puzzling is how the immigrants manage to evade many police roadblocks mounted from the Moyale border, which they use to Nairobi.
