Mombasa: DCI Seizes KSh 4 Million Heroin in Utange Raid, Two Arrested

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have confiscated heroin with an estimated street value exceeding KSh 4 million and apprehended two individuals in Utange, Kisauni Sub-County.

The operation, conducted by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit, the Transnational Organised Crime Unit, and Kiembeni Police Station, was executed following intelligence reports indicating the presence of a drug trafficking network in the locality.

Law enforcement personnel raided a residence in the Barawa area, which was shielded by a high perimeter fence. During the search, officers discovered heroin concealed in two bedrooms, with an additional package buried within the compound grounds, indicating systematic attempts to hide the contraband.

Authorities recovered a total of 1,346 grams of heroin, along with a digital weighing scale and a drying machine, suggesting the premises were being used for processing and preparing narcotics for distribution.

“By the end of the operation, officers had recovered 1,346 grams of heroin with an estimated street value of Sh4,092,000, alongside a digital weighing machine and a drying machine, evidence of a well-oiled illicit business,” the agency stated.

The seizure reflects Kenya’s intensified focus on combating hard drug trafficking in recent years, with law enforcement agencies prioritizing the interception of high-value narcotics including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, while simultaneously targeting illegal pharmaceutical operations.

In a significant maritime interdiction last October, the Kenya Navy intercepted a stateless vessel named Igor in the Indian Ocean, recovering 1,035 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at KSh 8.2 billion. Six Iranian nationals connected to the shipment were arrested and subsequently entered guilty pleas in January 2026.

Airport security operations have also yielded notable results. A 26-year-old woman was detained at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in June 2025 after authorities discovered she had ingested cocaine pellets. In November 2025, another female suspect was arrested at the same facility while carrying cocaine worth KSh 3.65 million.

On the domestic front, DCI officers raided a property in Clay City, Kasarani, in May 2024, arresting two Nigerian nationals and one Kenyan citizen on suspicion of trafficking cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. In October 2024, detectives in Kilifi confiscated 3.6 kilograms of heroin with an estimated value of KSh 14.5 million.

To enhance judicial efficiency in narcotics cases, Chief Justice Martha Koome designated four specialized narcotics courts in January 2026, located at JKIA, Kahawa, Mombasa, and Busia. These courts are tasked with expediting drug-related prosecutions and disrupting criminal networks.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, more than 3.2 tonnes of narcotics were seized nationwide between 2024 and 2025. The ODPP also reported a 27 percent increase in heroin seizures at airports during this period.

The two suspects from the Utange operation remain in police custody as investigations proceed, with arraignment expected in the coming days.