Kenya smashes drug trafficking ring at border with Tanzania

Kenya's revenue authorities have smashed a drug trafficking and smuggling ring at the Kenya-Tanzania border point of Lunga Lunga, in the coastal Kwale County.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Customs and Border Control Commissioner Julius Musyoki said the officers acting on intelligence reports nabbed several suspects attempting to smuggle narcotics substances into Kenya on Sunday night.

Four key suspects were arrested in the wee hours of Sunday night attempting to smuggle a heroine consignment to Mombasa," Musyoki said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He said the drug traffickers are suspected to have been using the sleepy border town, to avoid scrutiny due to enhanced surveillance at other border points.

Musyoki said four suspects are reportedly members of a wider drug trafficking cartel that has been smuggling narcotic substances concealed as spices among other foodstuffs.

"One of the suspect took advantage of the size of his belly to hide the narcotics strategically under it," he said.

Cases of drug trafficking through Kenya's entry points have been on the rise with police making several arrests and seizures. Anti-narcotics police officers say most of the drugs being consumed in Nairobi originate Tanzania through the Namanga border.

According to police seizures and arrest statistics show that more Africans are becoming involved in the drug trafficking of especially heroin.

The UN has identified East African nations as a drug transport hub for drugs going to Europe from Asia and Middle East. Hardly a month passes without an arrest of drug traffickers at the main airport.

Musyoki said the vehicle used by the four suspects was also intercepted and detained at the Lunga Lunga Police Station as further investigations get underway. The four suspects were transferred to Mombasa to face drug trafficking charges.

"We have beefed up surveillance and intelligence activity at the border points with positive effects. The arrest of the four suspects is a big win for our teams that are committed to eradicate narcotic smuggling to Kenya," he said.

"As part of the ongoing internal security enhancement measures, Customs and Border Control officers have intensified their operations across the border points, utilizing intelligence and technology based solutions," warned.

With heightened round the clock surveillance activity at all ports of entry by the Customs and Border Control units, Musyoki confirmed that traffickers are resorting to late night transport options using undocumented routes. Endit