DCI Kilifi crackdown seizes Ksh4.2M cannabis consignment
By Aloys Michael, May 20, 2026Detectives in Kilifi have intensified the fight against drug trafficking following the arrest of two suspected traffickers and the recovery of cannabis sativa valued at approximately Ksh4.2 million during a major anti-narcotics operation.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the operation was carried out by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) in an intelligence-led raid targeting a house in the Kisumu Ndogo area of Kilifi town.
Authorities said the crackdown resulted in the arrest of two persons of interest believed to be linked to a wider drug distribution network operating within the coastal region.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the DCI said detectives conducted a well-coordinated intelligence-led operation that led to the discovery of large quantities of cannabis sativa hidden inside the residence.
“During the operation, detectives conducted a swift search of the premises, uncovering two and a half sacks of cannabis sativa wrapped in brown khaki paper, weighing 142 kilograms, ready for distribution,” the statement read in part.
Investigators indicated that the narcotics were packed and prepared for supply to the illegal market before the raid disrupted the operation.
DCI has said that the recovered drugs were immediately seized and transported to Kilifi Police Station as investigations continue.
The agency further confirmed that the persons of interest are currently undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment in court, adding that the confiscated narcotics are being preserved as exhibits while detectives pursue leads linked to the suspected trafficking syndicate.
The latest arrests come only days after another major anti-drug operation conducted in Nairobi by officers from the ANU working jointly with the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU).
In that operation, detectives arrested a foreign national following intelligence reports linking him to narcotics trafficking activities.
The DCI said officers raided a house along Ngong Road in Nairobi, where they recovered several packets of cannabis sativa prepared for distribution alongside travel documents and other items now under investigation.
“Detectives from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), alongside their counterparts from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU), have arrested a trafficker recovering sachets of cannabis sativa from his house,” the DCI said in part.
Security agencies have continued to intensify anti-drug operations across the country as part of efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and curb the circulation of illegal narcotics in Kenyan towns and cities.