Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) detectives have arrested two suspects believed to be running a drug lab in Diani, Kwale County.
In a statement on their X handle, the DCI said they uncovered a secret narcotics lab in the quiet neighborhood of Mwabungo village, Ukunda, an area more often associated with serene beaches than crime.
According to the DCI, a team from the Anti-Narcotics Unit and Kenya Police carried out a well-coordinated raid on a heavily guarded, secluded one-acre compound hidden behind tall walls and a secure gate.
Two suspects were arrested: a 37-year-old Italian national, Gianardi Giulio, and Kenyan national Moses Nanoka Egadwa. Lab equipment and chemicals suspected to be used in drug manufacture were recovered, alongside packaging materials clearly marked with the names of known narcotics.
Further searches revealed that sections of the compound were being used to cultivate what is believed to be cannabis, indicating long-term illegal activity.
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The suspects are in custody and are currently awaiting formal charges in court.
“The National Police Service has reiterated its commitment to dismantling drug networks and keeping Kenyan communities safe from the harmful effects of narcotics and the illegal drug trade,” the statement concluded.
This latest operation is among a series of crackdowns by police across Kenya in their bid to dismantle criminal networks. Just days earlier, similar efforts were carried out in different parts of the country: in Mombasa, police recovered 38 rolls of bhang and stolen items from a house in Likoni; in Kisii, two people were arrested after police intercepted 30 kgs of cannabis along the Kisii-Migori highway; and in Murang’a, a known peddler was caught with 63 rolls of bhang.
– By Anthony Mwangi
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