A police multi-agency team has smashed a drug trafficking racket at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that involves Kenya Airways staff.
On Friday night the team undertook a major sting operation and in the process intercepted four kilograms of narcotics concealed as Kenyan Coffee.
The drugs were found hidden within the crew restroom of a Kenya Airways plane (Flight KQ 870) destined for Hong-kong, China.
During the operation, the strike team arrested two suspects namely Daniel Koech and Paul Omondi, both are Kenya Airways in-flight crew members.
It is suspected that the two have been working in collusion with former colleagues of the airline to secretly traffic drugs to China, Netherlands, and India.
The operation was triggered by a tip-off from friendly foreign security agencies who had observed an influx of narcotics emanating from Kenyan flights.
Investigations by the Kenyan security agencies unraveled a cartel comprising of airport staff and in-flight attendants.
According to sources, the cartel has been receiving narcotic drugs from a yet-to-be-identified person and sneaking it into flights.
Sources close to the Police also revealed that the Kenyan based cartel could have close links to Nigerian drug trafficking syndicate.
An initial analysis of the syndicate’s activities indicates that the group has been moving close to fifty kilograms (50kgs) of narcotics ranging from cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine on a monthly basis.
The crack-down on these individuals is aimed at sending a strong message to other criminals concerning the heightened vigilance at JKIA.
It also reiterates the commitment by security agencies to rid the region’s biggest aviation hub from organized crimes such as drugs, human and wildlife trafficking.
The two are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday following tests on the recovered narcotics by an officer from the Government Chemist. Currently, a team of detectives is carrying out a search at the suspects’ residences in Nairobi.