Police staged a dawn raid at Magogoni area in Kisauni, Mombasa County and arrested notorious drug trafficker.
The team found the suspect in possession of approximately 169 grams of heroin valued at more than Sh500,000, bhang, assorted packaging materials, weighing scale and Sh1.7 million proceeds of drugs in cash in a stash house where he has been operating from with his second wife.
The man was identified as Mwinyi Seif Salim alias Mwinyi Marebe.
The money was in of Sh1.3 million in Kenyan denominations and USD 3,610 and four mobile phones, police said.
Police said the raid was staged on Saturday April 13 morning.
The area has been experiencing high rate of crime.
The detectives had classified Mwinyi as a seasoned drug trafficker within the coast region who was competing with the late Swaleh Yusuf Ahmed alias Kendereni in the supply and distribution of hard drugs especially within the drug dens at Magodoroni and Arusini within Kisauni Constituency.
Police said Mwinyi has mastered the art and even used school going girls among his relatives to do the distribution.
His two wives who police say were custodians of the drugs operating from the house in Junda were also previously arrested in possession of hard drugs and have ongoing court cases.
The police have also classified his family as dangerous and deeply rooted in the drug business.
In a similar onslaught on April 8, 2024, the detectives backed by a specialized team had also made a surprise raid at the house of a hardcore bhang distributor in Kilifi identified as Lavender Ayoti and warned her about her drug business after she was classified as an untouchable.
The team has vowed never to relent in the fight against drug trafficking in the region and advised the traffickers to surrender.
Swaleh was found dead in Kilifi days after he was kidnapped by unknown people. Police said he was killed by his rivals in the business.
Swaleh had been working with mules who distribute heroin to various drug dens from which hundreds of youths are able to access the drugs, police say.
According to investigators, the drugs also find their way into nightclubs and some hotels where both local and foreign tourists are able to access the drugs.
Some of the drug peddlers are also associated with criminal groups involved in muggings within Kisauni, Bombolulu, Majengo and Likoni areas.
Police believe he was the remaining head of the drug trafficking gang in the area.
The deceased who resided Kikambala also ran an elaborate money laundering scheme which he used to launder the drug trafficking proceeds.
Cases of drug trafficking and consumption have been on the rise in the region prompting authorities to move into action to address the menace.
Dozens of traffickers have since been arrested and charged in the operations.
Police say traffickers now use roads as opposed to airports to carry out their business.
The most commonly trafficked narcotics from Tanzania and through Uganda is heroin. Cocaine is also trafficked from the two countries. Bhang is also heavily used in the area.
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