Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin
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On Tuesday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi arrested a United States national on suspicion of cocaine trafficking, following a vital tip-off from a local hospital's physician.
The suspect, who is currently undergoing recovery after reportedly swallowing several pellets of cocaine, intended to smuggle the drugs from Alabama to Saudi Arabia. The incident began on Sunday, February 16, when the American individual was admitted to a Nairobi hospital by a friend due to symptoms consistent with severe drug ingestion. The proactive response from a doctor at the facility led to the alerting of the DCI's anti-narcotics division.
Medical examinations subsequently revealed that three cocaine pellets, weighing a total of 57.98 grams, were lodged in the suspect's rectum, alongside an additional pellet located in the small intestines. This finding necessitated further medical intervention for safe removal. Initial interrogations conducted by detectives revealed that the suspect had been residing temporarily in a short-stay apartment in Nairobi's Westlands area.
Travel documents indicated plans to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Saudi Arabia, with a layover in Addis Ababa. However, the suspected trafficking operation was disrupted when the individual fell ill, leading to hospitalization and subsequent arrest. Authorities have confiscated his travel and personal documents, pending recovery and impending drug trafficking charges.
In a related incident, on the same day, DCI officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) intercepted a shipment of suspected amphetamines hidden within ten large candles packed in a carton. The contraband was destined for Australia from Burundi. Testing confirmed the presence of the highly addictive stimulant, although the ownership of the shipment remains undetermined as investigations continue.