Anti-narcotics detectives have arrested five suspects believed to be part of a large cocaine-smuggling ring after intercepting a woman with 57 pellets of cocaine hidden in her private part at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in a statement on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, said the primary suspect, Apoko Damaris Adhiambo, had concealed the pellets in her underwear when she was flagged down at JKIA’s terminal A1 central screening area just before boarding a Madagascar-bound plane on Tuesday.
Upon interrogation, the suspect revealed she was recruited into the cocaine smuggling syndicate by one Harriet Asaba, a woman living in Nairobi.
Using forensic technologies, detectives tracked Asaba to Accra Road in Nairobi and arrested her.
“A woman’s stratagem to traffic 57 pellets of cocaine to Madagascar by escaping the grip of our security apparatus at the Jomo Kenyatta Intn’l Airport proved futile last night, when anti-narcotics detectives noted the nose candy stuffed in her under garments and rerouted her travel itinerary to a police cell,” the statement read.
“In the 10.30pm interception, Apoko Damaris Adhiambo, 32, was flagged down at terminal A1’s central screening area, as she checked in to board Kenya Airways KQ 256 flight to Antananarivo, Madagascar.
“A body scanner at the checkpoint revealed suspicious items concealed around her privates, triggering a quick search that saw over 600g of the highly addictive gak discovered. A spot test conducted on the discovery was positive for the coca product.
“After a moment of interrogation by female anti-narcotics officers, Apoko revealed to have been recruited by a Ugandan national identified as Harriet Asaba who resided within the Kenyan Capital.
“Deploying forensic technologies, detectives traced Asaba to Accra Road in Nairobi CBD and effected her arrest.
“In the painstaking pursuit to break the entire syndicate, the second suspect led officers to Free Area Hotel building and into the VIP Beauty Shop, where a meticulous search was conducted and another 33 pellets of crack found.
“Therein, three more suspects namely Nangonzi Shirah (a Ugandan national), Esther Wanjiru, 24 and Sophia Kathambi aged 24 were also rounded up.
“Presumptive test on the second recovery also tested positive for Cocaine, weighing approximately 396 grams.
“Whereas prosecution processes have been instigated on the arrested suspects, further investigations are ongoing jointly with the InterPol team to track down the recipients of the drugs at Antananarivo.”
