Police in Kwale County have arrested two foreign nationals and a Kenyan in connection with an illegal bhang plantation discovered in Mwabungo Village, Diani. The arrests followed a well-coordinated raid based on intelligence reports that exposed a large-scale drug cultivation operation.
The operation, led by law enforcement officers in Diani, targeted a residence in the Romika area, which was found to have been converted into a sophisticated cannabis grow house. Upon entry, officers discovered a well-maintained plantation with evidence indicating the systematic cultivation of cannabis for commercial purposes.
Authorities confirmed that the arrested individuals included two foreigners, both aged between 66 and 69, who were in the country on tourist visas, and a Kenyan national believed to be working alongside them. The three were immediately taken into custody and handed over to regional anti-narcotics detectives for further investigation.
Evidence collected from the scene has been described as critical in supporting the prosecution’s case. Crime scene experts processed and documented the site, securing proof of the plantation’s operations. Investigators are focusing on uncovering the full extent of the network behind the cultivation and whether the plantation was part of a larger syndicate.
This incident comes barely a month after another major discovery in the same area, where security agencies uncovered a drug farm in Mwabungo suspected of cultivating poppy and coca plants. Those substances are known as raw materials for heroin and cocaine production, raising concerns that Diani could be a hotspot for organized drug farming operations.
In that earlier case, suspects were brought before court and investigators were granted extended custodial periods to conduct comprehensive inquiries. The latest arrests are expected to follow a similar process, with detectives pushing to unearth any links between the two incidents.
The crackdown in Diani highlights increasing vigilance by law enforcement agencies against illegal drug cultivation in coastal Kenya. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to dismantling drug networks and ensuring that the region does not become a hub for narcotics production. With ongoing investigations, more arrests and prosecutions are anticipated as detectives pursue leads pointing to both local and international involvement.
