A suspected drug trafficker was arrested after fleeing baggage inspection at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), leaving behind two suitcases packed with cannabis.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the 57-year-old suspect had arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, and cleared immigration without incident.
But when his luggage was flagged during customs screening, he reportedly slipped away from the inspection area and exited the terminal unnoticed.
Anti-Narcotics Unit officers moved in to inspect the abandoned bags and discovered 41 sachets of cannabis sativa weighing 41.7 kilograms.
A manhunt was immediately launched, and detectives traced the suspect to a hotel in Nairobi’s South C estate, where he was arrested and taken to JKIA Police Station. Authorities confirmed on Sunday that he remains in custody and is expected to face drug trafficking charges.
The incident is the latest in a string of drug-related busts at JKIA, a key international transit hub.
Earlier this year, five individuals were arrested in connection with a separate cocaine trafficking attempt targeting Madagascar. In that case, a suspect was intercepted at Terminal A1 while preparing to board a flight.
A body scan revealed 57 pellets of cocaine worth Sh3.5 million. The suspect allegedly named a recruiter based in Nairobi, who was later arrested along Accra Road.
Police say further investigations led them to a beauty shop where another 33 pellets were recovered, and three more suspects were detained.
The DCI said both operations form part of an intensified crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates operating through the capital. JKIA has increasingly become a focal point in the fight against transnational narcotics smuggling, with authorities pledging continued vigilance and collaboration with international law enforcement.
