Anti-narcotics unit detectives based at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have nabbed a woman who attempted to board a flight to Goa, India, with cocaine concealed in her luggage.
In a statement shared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday, May 2, 2025, the 25-year-old identified as Caroline Wanjiku Mwangi was apprehended after detectives raised suspicion.
She was forced to undergo a fresh inspection, which DCI’s statement indicated led to the discovery of cocaine tucked into smaller bags.
“Caroline Wanjiku Mwangi, 25, learned the hard way that smuggling drugs is a fast track to jail time, not a holiday in the sun. The aspiring drug mule was nabbed by eagle-eyed Anti-Narcotics Unit detectives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Goa, India,” the statement read in part.
“Her travel plans hit turbulence when sharp-sighted detectives flagged her down for a routine check. A quick inspection of her luggage led to the discovery of two suspicious smaller bags tucked inside. Upon opening them, detectives found a white powdery substance neatly packed and wrapped in yellow cellotape, definitely not your average souvenir,” DCI added.
Test confirms results
According to DCI, further tests conducted by the anti-narcotics detectives established that the 25-year-old Kenyan was carrying cocaine weighing 1.3 kilogrammes.
However, DCI’s statement did not immediately reveal the street value of the narcotics.
“A spot test confirmed the officers’ suspicions, the results indicated that the powdery substance was Cocaine weighing 1.3 kilograms.
“Wanjiku is currently cooling her heels at the JKIA Police Station, undergoing processing, awaiting her court appearance. Meanwhile, the seized narcotics are being detained as exhibits,” DCI added.
Cases of Kenyans with narcotics
The arrest came against the backdrop of other recent cases involving Kenyans abroad. In March 2025, the case of Margaret Nduta, a Kenyan convicted of drug trafficking in Vietnam, made headlines.
Nduta was on the verge of being executed when Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that the Kenyan government had engaged with Vietnamese authorities to seek a resolution.
“It is not a pleasant situation, and we hope there will be a solution. But there are issues that we must also address,” he said on March 19, 2025.
The case sparked mixed reactions among the public, with various leaders calling for urgent diplomatic intervention as debates over her trial and imprisonment persist.
Nduta’s family, however, maintained that the 37-year-old was innocent, dismissing reports that she had previously been arrested in Saudi Arabia and Ghana.