The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) intercepted a consignment of suspected narcotics at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), smuggled in by a passenger arriving from Bangkok.
In a statement on Saturday, July 26, KRA revealed that the drugs were uncovered during a standard baggage screening operation.
The agency recovered 41 sachets of suspected narcotics carefully concealed within the passenger's luggage.
"This morning, a routine baggage scan at JKIA turned into a major bust when KRA Customs officers flagged two suspicious suitcases from a Bangkok flight.
"What followed was a swift and coordinated inspection unveiling 41 sachets of suspected narcotics carefully concealed within the luggage," the statement read.
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KRA attributed the interception to heightened vigilance and the use of modern scanning equipment.
"Thanks to the vigilance of our officers and advanced scanner technology, another threat to our borders was stopped in its tracks.
"We remain committed to working closely with other government agencies in the fight against drug trafficking and the protection of Kenya’s borders," the statement added.
This comes a month after anti-narcotics detectives at JKIA arrested a suspected drug trafficker after she was found attempting to smuggle cocaine out of the country by ingesting drug pellets.
In a statement on Sunday, June 15, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Wendy Mbeke Muli, was arrested on Saturday morning, June 13.
DCI said Mbeke was intercepted shortly before boarding an outbound international flight after authorities noticed her suspicious behaviour during a routine passenger screening.
“Mbeke, whose confidence was clearly larger than her carry-on luggage, was intercepted by hawk-eyed detectives on June 13, 2025, at around 10:00 a.m., just minutes before boarding an outbound flight. Her uneasy demeanour during a routine screening set off alarm bells," DCI said.
According to investigators, a subsequent physical search revealed that she had concealed foreign substances inside her body.
Medical personnel were immediately called in, and she was placed under close observation.
“Later that day, Mbeke requested to use the washrooms, where she excreted two pellets. The following day, June 14, while still under observation, she excreted six more pellets, bringing the total to eight pellets,” the DCI said.
Tests confirmed the pellets contained cocaine with a combined weight of approximately 626.65 grams; the narcotics have since been seized as evidence.
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