ODPP: More than 3.2 tonnes of narcotics seized across Kenya between 2024 and 2025
By Faith Lagat, November 24, 2025Kenya has recorded significant narcotics seizures, with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) reporting that more than 3.2 tonnes of drugs were intercepted nationwide between 2024 and 2025.
The figures were revealed during a meeting on November 24, 2025, between Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga, and a Kenya Airways delegation led by Managing Director Allan Kilavuka.
The ODPP said criminal syndicates are increasingly using commercial aviation and airport infrastructure to traffic narcotics and exploit vulnerable persons.
“According to recent statistics, more than 3.2 tonnes of narcotics were seized across Kenya between 2024 and 2025, with heroin seizures at airports rising by 27 per cent during the same period.”
“Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) alone recorded over 40 arrests linked to trafficking syndicates, while more than 150 airline-related trafficking cases have been documented in the past decade, underscoring the scale and persistence of the threat,” the prosecution service said.
The meeting comes at a time when Kenya continues to confront increasingly sophisticated criminal syndicates that use commercial aviation and airport infrastructure to traffic narcotics and vulnerable persons.
Narcotic fight
The ODPP has, however, opened a new chapter in the fight against cross-border criminal networks after hosting a delegation from Kenya Airways (KQ).
“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga, CBS, OGW, met with the delegation, led by Managing Director Allan Kilavuka, to explore avenues of collaboration aimed at strengthening investigations and prosecutions related to drug trafficking and counter-trafficking in persons (CTIP), particularly those exploiting Kenya’s national carrier, transit routes, and international gateways,” the ODPP stated in a post on X.
Strengthening detection and prosecution
To counter the rising threat, the ODPP and Kenya Airways agreed to collaborate on early detection and reporting of trafficking victims, as well as improved investigative coordination and evidence handling.
“During the discussions, both institutions agreed on several key areas of action. Central to the talks was the development of a structured operational framework for early detection and reporting of trafficking victims, including improved coordination in investigative processes and evidence handling,” the ODPP revealed.
The partnership will also include joint staff training, real-time intelligence sharing, and standardised evidence protocols.
The DPP emphasised that enhanced cooperation between aviation security units, investigative agencies, and prosecutors would improve case outcomes and disrupt the criminal infrastructure behind trafficking operations.
The DPP further proposed the establishment of a dedicated liaison mechanism integrating Kenya Airways Security, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Anti-Narcotics Unit (DCI-ANU), and the ODPP. The mechanism would focus on aviation-related offences, expedite information flow, and enable rapid response to emerging threats.
Other areas of collaboration discussed included enhancement of internal compliance controls and integrity measures within the airline, particularly for frontline staff who are vulnerable to infiltration, coercion, or corruption by organised crime networks. Both parties agreed that human capital would be critical in strengthening Kenya’s resilience against trafficking.