286 foreigners arrested as Kenya escalates war on drug trafficking
Police have arrested 286 foreign nationals in a sweeping crackdown on drug trafficking, as the country intensifies security operations in the northern frontier.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen made the revelation during a Jukwaa La Usalama tour in Marsabit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, where he was presented with a detailed report on the progress of Operation Ondoa Jangili — a multi-agency mission targeting criminals in Marsabit and Isiolo counties.
“Operation Ondoa Jangili, which targets criminal groups in Isiolo and Marsabit counties, has done a lot in pacifying the region that had for long not known peace,” said Murkomen in a statement on X.
“The operation has succeeded in curbing several criminal activities, including the proliferation of small arms, illegal mining, drug and human trafficking as well as cross-border incursions,” he added.
The Interior CS confirmed that the ongoing operation has recovered over 200 illegal firearms and led to the arrest of more than 300 suspects, many of whom have already been charged in court.
But it’s the drug war, he said, that has exposed a shocking scale of foreign involvement.
“The war on drug trafficking has netted 286 foreign nationals. The operation is ongoing, and our multi-agency teams remain vigilant to apprehend criminals and bring lasting peace to the region,” Murkomen stated.
Drug highway to Nairobi
Northern Kenya has recently emerged as a new frontier for drug smuggling, with traffickers exploiting the region’s porous borders and minimal security infrastructure.
Authorities say traffickers use buses, motorbikes, and even camels to transport heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine into Nairobi and beyond.
One of the most bizarre arrests in northern Kenya involved a 28-year-old woman caught smuggling drugs hidden in her private parts.
In April 2025, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) flagged down a Nairobi-bound bus from Moyale during a routine inspection along the Moyale-Nairobi highway – a major smuggling corridor now under heavy surveillance.
The woman’s anxious demeanour aroused suspicion, prompting female officers to conduct a body search.
“She exhibited signs of anxiety commonly observed in those attempting to evade detection,” the DCI revealed.
“A detailed search confirmed the presence of narcotics concealed in her body.”
Officers recovered a 294-gram package of cocaine, carefully wrapped and hidden internally.
President William Ruto’s administration has vowed to dismantle drug syndicates that threaten the country’s youth and national security.
The multi-agency operation, involving the DCI, National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, and immigration authorities, is expected to intensify.
Officials have also urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities in their communities.
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