Authorities have dismantled a secret drug laboratory hidden within a quiet residential area in Diani, Kwale County, leading to the arrest of two individuals a 37-year-old Italian national and a Kenyan suspect. The raid was the result of several days of covert surveillance and intelligence collection by the Anti-Narcotics Unit in collaboration with Kenya Police.
The compound, located in Mwabungo village in Ukunda, sits on a one-acre plot surrounded by high walls and a guarded gate. It was in this seemingly serene setting far from the bustling beach resorts Diani is known for that officers uncovered a fully operational drug manufacturing facility. The lab contained an array of sophisticated tools, chemical substances suspected to be used in narcotics production, and packaging materials bearing labels of known drugs.
Further searches within the premises revealed areas believed to be used for cultivating cannabis, suggesting the suspects had established a long-term and wide-ranging illegal drug operation. The discovery of both processed narcotics and cannabis plants paints a picture of an extensive network involving not only production but possibly distribution.
Both suspects were apprehended at the scene and are currently in police custody pending formal charges in court. Investigators are continuing to comb through evidence gathered during the raid to determine the scale of the operation and potential connections to international trafficking networks.
This successful bust marks yet another milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to crack down on narcotics. Just a week earlier, officers intercepted a vehicle along the Naivasha–Nairobi highway, seizing over 450 kilograms of cannabis sativa with an estimated street value of Sh13.5 million. That operation also led to the arrest of two suspects who are now facing charges.
The latest developments highlight a growing trend of innovative concealment and rural-based operations by drug traffickers. In response, law enforcement agencies have stepped up surveillance and field intelligence, pledging continued vigilance in protecting communities from the effects of illicit drugs.
Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling drug networks operating within Kenyan borders and urged the public to remain alert and report suspicious activities.
