Detectives staged an operation in Nairobi and Mombasa over the weekend and arrested eight suspects they said were behind a new wave of drug trafficking.
This comes on the backdrop of a recent national drug survey by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) indicating widespread abuse of prescription medication.
DCI conducted operations where traditional dealers in hard drugs were arrested while in possession of assorted prescription pills pointing to a shortage of heroin.
The report indicates that subscription for harm reduction clinics where methadone maintenance treatment is used to treat opioid dependence has increased especially at the Coastal city of Mombasa.
The opioid dependent takes a daily dose of methadone as a liquid or pill which reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioids.
In the report, the medications commonly abused were identified as codeine, dextromethorphan, noscapine, morphine, caffeine, ketamine and papaverine.
The government is now looking at measures to curb the proliferation and availability of the medications in the market.
On Saturday October 7, 2023 at Junda area within Mombasa County, anti narcotic detectives conducted an operation and arrested two female suspects who are linked to Tanzanian drug trafficker Mwinyi Seif Salim alias Mwinyi Mareba.
Detectives seized 750 grams of cocaine, several sachets of psychotropic pills, a digital weighing machine and packaging materials which sources close to the matter said are critical evidence in the case.
Police are holding the two women at the Port Police in Mombasa awaiting sampling, weighing and arraignment at the Shanzu Law Courts.
In a separate operation carried in Nairobi, police officers arrested a suspected Nigerian drug trafficker, a Kenyan and three other accomplices in Mlolongo and Satellite areas within Nairobi County.
Detectives seized 250 grams of cocaine from a vehicle in which the Nigerian and his three accomplices were travelling in when they were stopped in Athi river while headed to Mombasa.
A further search yielded an assortment of drugs in powder and tablet form.
Another Kenyan who distributes narcotics on behalf of the Nigerian national was also nabbed.
All the suspects have been booked at Muthaiga Police Station awaiting arraignment to court.
Cases of drug trafficking have been on the decline due to sustained police operations in the country.
