Man arrested with heroin worth Ksh1.8M in Mombasa
A 40-year-old man has been arrested in Mombasa after detectives found heroin valued at approximately Ksh1.8 million hidden in his home.
In a statement shared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Saturday, May 17, 2025, anti-narcotics officers, acting on a tip-off, raided the man’s house in Kikambala. The operation caught him off guard. During the search, police found a blue carrier bag tucked under a mattress. Inside the bag were six tightly sealed packages of heroin, weighing around 600 grams in total.
“Mombasa Anti-Narcotics detectives have arrested a notorious 40-year-old drug peddler and seized heroin worth approximately Ksh1.8 million in the streets. Acting on solid intel, detectives raided the suspect’s residence in Kikambala, catching him completely off guard,” DCI stated.
The man was taken to the Port Police Station, where he is being held as police complete investigations. He is expected to be taken to court soon.
Police said the arrest is a big step in ongoing efforts to crack down on drug trafficking in the coastal region. They have urged members of the public to continue sharing information that can help stop the drug trade.
The heroin was confiscated and will be used as evidence in court.
“A swift search of the premises led to the discovery of a blue carrier bag stashed under a mattress containing six tightly wrapped packages of heroin weighing a total of 600 grams. The suspect was promptly whisked off, along with the recovered narcotics, to the Port Police Station, where he is currently undergoing processing pending arraignment,” the statement by the DCI read further.
War on drug trafficking
This comes barely a week after the arrest of 286 foreign nationals in a major anti-drug trafficking sweep.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking during a Jukwaa La Usalama forum held in Marsabit on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, disclosed the arrests while receiving an in-depth briefing on the progress of Operation Ondoa Jangili, a multi-agency initiative aimed at dismantling criminal networks 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,” Murkomen said in a post on X.
The CS noted that the mission has played a role in tackling several security threats, including the spread of illicit arms, illegal mining, human and drug trafficking, and cross-border criminal activities.
According to Murkomen, the crackdown has so far yielded more than 200 illegal firearms and led to the arrest of over 300 suspects, with many already facing charges in court.
“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,” he said.
