Kwale CID Operation: Diani Hit with Drug Lab Raid
-
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced that its Anti‑Narcotics Unit, in collaboration with the National Police, executed a successful raid on a clandestine drug laboratory hidden behind fortified walls in Mwabungo village, Ukunda, Kwale County. The facility was concealed within a one‑acre compound shielded by tall walls and a locked gate, making detection difficult
- During the operation, investigators discovered advanced laboratory equipment, various controlled chemicals, and packaging materials labeled with brand names consistent with narcotics trade. Additionally, cultivated plots believed to be growing cannabis plants were found onsite, indicating likely long‑term activity
- Two suspects were arrested at the scene. They remain in custody awaiting arraignment as investigations continue to uncover the operation’s scope and network links
- The DCI reaffirmed the government’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks nationwide, citing similar raids conducted in Mombasa, Kisii, Murang’a, and Laikipia counties in the days preceding this incident .
-
Earlier in September 2024, DCI and Mombasa Anti‑Narcotics Unit collaborated on a successful operation in Diani, arresting two suspects and seizing 10 sacks of marijuana (314 kg), valued at approximately Sh9 million. A leading suspect, Irene Auma (30), was arrested after being located in a nearby house. A third suspect, Kevin Barasa (“Kevo”), remains at large .
-
On a broader scale, DCI leadership has sounded the alarm over the emergence of clandestine drug labs producing high‑potency synthetics like methamphetamine, fentanyl, carfentanil, and MDMA. At a February 2025 summit, Anti‑Narcotics Chief Samuel Laboso warned that drug abuse represents a new form of terrorism, capable of devastating a whole generation if unchecked .
-
To bolster capacity, in May 2025, the DCI hosted a five‑day regional workshop at the National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA) in Nairobi. The training brought together officers from across East Africa and focused on emerging threats—such as synthetic drugs, online narcotics networks, chemical precursors, and clandestine labs—and explored strategies to improve detection and interdiction efforts .
-
The uncovering of this well‑hidden lab in Ukunda, Diani highlights the alarming shift from foreign trafficking to domestic manufacturing of dangerous synthetic substances and cannabis.
-
It underscores the DCI’s growing use of intelligence‑led operations and cross‑county coordination, as seen in the joint Diani raid and previous coastal drug busts.
-
Public collaboration is increasingly central to these efforts. Community tip‑offs and vigilance appear essential in uncovering hidden operations such as this — a point echoed by DCI leadership calling to report suspicious premises .
