The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested four people and seized 66.15 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa in separate operations in Busia and Bungoma counties as detectives intensify efforts to disrupt suspected narcotics trafficking networks.
The arrests followed intelligence-led operations targeting the movement of cannabis through the two counties, according to the DCI.
According to a DCI statement issued on Friday, detectives from the National Anti-Narcotics Investigation Bureau (NANIB) intercepted a Fuso lorry, registration number KDU 981Y, along the Busia-Kisumu Highway in Busia County.
The lorry was transporting cereals to Nairobi when detectives stopped it and conducted a search. According to the DCI, officers discovered 14 bales of cannabis weighing 59.15 kilogrammes.
The drugs had been packed in two sacks and concealed beneath dry cassava, in what investigators described as an attempt to evade detection.
The DCI estimated the street value of the recovered cannabis at Sh1,774,500.
Two suspects, Evans Josiah Mugambi and Moses Murambula Odwera, were arrested during the operation and taken into custody.
“Crackdown on narcotics trafficking. A coordinated crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Busia and Bungoma counties has led to the arrest of four suspects and the recovery of a substantial haul of cannabis sativa,” the DCI said.
In neighbouring Bungoma County, officers from Bungoma Police Station intercepted a grey Toyota Probox, registration number KCK 089M, during patrols along the Siritanyi-Mateka Road.
A search of the vehicle uncovered five bales of cannabis weighing seven kilogrammes. The drugs were reportedly wrapped in yellow tape and concealed inside a sack.
Police arrested two men, identified as Boaz Kwamba and Peter Ndungu, in connection with the consignment.
The two operations brought the total quantity of cannabis seized to 66.15 kilogrammes.
The four suspects remained in police custody pending processing and arraignment, while the two vehicles and recovered narcotics were secured as exhibits.
The latest seizure adds to a series of narcotics operations conducted by Kenyan law enforcement agencies. In January 2026, DCI officers in Meru arrested two suspected traffickers and recovered 22 kilogrammes of cannabis and 440 rolls, which the agency valued at about Sh630,000.
In April, DCI detectives intercepted a vehicle travelling from Busia towards Nairobi and recovered several bales of cannabis, while a separate operation at Malaba resulted in the seizure of 17 bales from a Ugandan national, according to the agency.
The DCI has also reported other large cannabis seizures. In February 2025, officers in Gilgil arrested eight suspects after recovering 497 kilogrammes of marijuana from a homestead in Pakawa.
Kenya's legal framework prohibits the illicit possession, transportation, sale, cultivation and trafficking of cannabis. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act lists cannabis among prohibited plants and defines illicit traffic to include activities such as possession, transportation, concealment, sale and cultivation, unless permitted under the law.
The law provides different penalties depending on the circumstances of an offence. For possession of cannabis, the Act provides for a sentence of up to 10 years where the court is satisfied that it was intended solely for personal consumption, while possession in other circumstances attracts a higher penalty under the legislation.
The DCI maintained that the Busia and Bungoma operations were part of its wider efforts to disrupt the supply and distribution of illicit drugs.
“The DCI remains relentless in the fight against narcotics trafficking, dismantling trafficking networks and ensuring that traffickers face the full force of the law.”
The investigations will determine the circumstances surrounding the transportation of the seized cannabis, including its intended destination and whether the suspects were linked to a wider trafficking network.
The agency urged members of the public to report information concerning suspected narcotics trafficking through its toll-free number, 0800 722 203, or WhatsApp number 0709 570 000.
The DCI concluded that the reporting channels allow members of the public to provide information anonymously as investigations into narcotics-related offences continue.