Detectives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) intercepted a 26-year-old woman suspected of trafficking cocaine after she was found to have ingested multiple cocaine pellets. The incident occurred on June 13, 2025, just before the woman was about to board an outbound flight.
The anti-narcotics detectives were alerted during a routine screening when the woman’s nervous behavior raised suspicion. Upon further search, it was discovered that she had concealed foreign substances inside her body cavity. As a result, she was placed under medical observation.
During the observation, the woman excreted a total of eight cocaine pellets over two days — two pellets on the first day and six on the following day. The recovered pellets weighed approximately 626.65 grams in total. The woman is currently being held by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) as authorities prepare to process her for legal proceedings.
This arrest marks another significant bust at JKIA, where law enforcement continues to step up vigilance to combat drug trafficking. The use of body-packing — where traffickers swallow or insert drug pellets into body cavities to evade detection — remains a persistent challenge for authorities worldwide, and JKIA remains a critical checkpoint in this fight.
The operation was part of an ongoing effort by the DCI to clamp down on narcotics smuggling through the country’s main international airport. Officials emphasized the importance of keen observation and thorough screening protocols, which ultimately led to this successful interception.
This case follows a similar incident months earlier when another young woman, aged 25, was caught attempting to smuggle cocaine from JKIA. That woman was planning to travel to Goa, India, but was stopped after officers noticed suspicious behavior during a routine check. Upon inspection of her luggage, officers found two smaller bags hidden inside, which contained a white powdery substance wrapped in yellow cellotape.
A subsequent spot test confirmed that the powder was cocaine, weighing approximately 1.3 kilograms. The earlier arrest highlighted the increasing sophistication and boldness of drug traffickers attempting to use the airport as a transit point.
Authorities at JKIA remain vigilant, continuously upgrading their screening and detection techniques to stay ahead of traffickers. The collaboration between airport security, anti-narcotics detectives, and medical personnel has proven crucial in uncovering drug concealment methods such as body-packing.
The continued detection and arrest of drug traffickers at JKIA send a strong message that the airport is a no-go zone for smugglers. With swift legal action expected against the current detainee, authorities are hopeful that such decisive measures will deter others from attempting to use the airport as a conduit for illegal substances.
As the global fight against drug trafficking intensifies, airports like JKIA play a vital frontline role, safeguarding national security and public health by intercepting illicit drugs before they reach their final destinations.
