Two women are behind bars after a multi-agency team at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) foiled an alleged attempt to smuggle 658 grams of suspected gold out of the country.
The two suspects were intercepted in the early hours of September 4, 2026, as they prepared to board a flight bound for Dubai.
Their journey was abruptly halted after officers subjected them to a search at the airport, leading to the recovery of two consignments of suspected gold that had allegedly been concealed on their bodies.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), one of the suspects was found carrying a gold bar weighing 541 grams.
The bar had allegedly been cleverly concealed in her hair, wrapped with a hairband and tucked beneath her hijab.
Her alleged accomplice had also concealed a quantity of suspected gold. Officers recovered a gold pellet weighing 116.79 grams from inside her bra.
The two items weighed approximately 658 grams in total.
The suspects were arrested and taken into custody, where they are undergoing processing pending arraignment as investigations into the suspected smuggling attempt continue.
The DCI said the operation was part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to dismantle illegal mining and mineral smuggling networks operating in the country.
The agency said multi-agency teams would continue targeting individuals and networks involved in the illegal exploitation and movement of Kenya's precious minerals.
The latest interception comes amid growing concerns over gold smuggling in Kenya and the country's role as a transit point for illicit minerals from other parts of the region.
Kenya has increasingly been identified as a transit hub for illicit gold originating from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, with some of the gold believed to be destined for international markets such as Dubai.
A 2025 SwissAid report estimated that more than two tonnes of gold could be leaving Kenya illicitly each year, compared with 672 kilogrammes of declared gold exports in 2023.
The illicit trade has raised concerns over lost government revenue, weak oversight of the mineral trade and the use of informal networks to move gold across borders.
Smugglers have been known to exploit gaps in regulatory and border controls, including the use of concealed consignments and questionable documentation to move minerals out of the country.
Beyond the loss of taxes and other government revenue, authorities have raised concerns that illicit mineral trading can facilitate money laundering and other forms of organised crime.
