Woman Arrested as Police Seize 255kg of Cannabis in Kilifi Drug Raid

A 29-year-old woman suspected of drug trafficking has been arrested after police recovered 255 kilograms of cannabis sativa in an intelligence-led operation in Jimba area, Kilifi County.

In a statement on Friday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the arrest followed a targeted raid conducted by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) based in Malindi, working together with police from Watamu Police Station.

Acting on intelligence information, the officers stormed a residential house along Mwatela Road, off the Watamu–Gede Road.

During the operation, they found a woman identified as Winfred Nkatha, 29, inside the house.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of eight sacks containing rolls of dried plant material wrapped in khaki paper, suspected to be cannabis.

The suspect was arrested and taken to Watamu Police Station together with the recovered exhibits.

Police later confirmed through weighing and sampling that the drugs amounted to 255 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of about Ksh 7.65 million.

The DCI said the suspect is being held in custody pending processing and arraignment in court as investigations continue to establish the source of the drugs and the intended distribution network.

“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations remains committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks and protecting communities from the harmful effects of narcotics,” the agency said, urging members of the public to continue sharing information to support anti-drug operations.