Detectives have arrested two suspects and seized 493 rolls of cannabis during a raid on a suspected drug storage and distribution centre in Kibwezi, Makueni County, as authorities continue efforts to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs in Kenya.
The National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau (NANIB) detectives conducted the operation following a tip-off that led them to a residential house suspected of being used to store and distribute narcotic drugs.
In a statement on Sunday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the suspects as Abdulatif Mohamed and Oscar Muema Nduku. They remain in custody as detectives process them ahead of their arraignment in court.
A search of the premises uncovered 493 rolls of bhang, two brown envelopes and a carrier bag containing cannabis.
Officers also recovered two weighing scales, Rizla papers and other items believed to have been used to handle and package the drugs. Cash suspected to be proceeds of crime was seized during the operation.
The DCI said the recovered items had been secured as exhibits as investigations continued.
The agency did not disclose the estimated street value of the seized cannabis, the amount of cash recovered or whether investigators were pursuing other suspects linked to the alleged operation.
The two suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The arrests come amid continuing efforts by Kenyan authorities to address the trafficking and use of illicit drugs, with cannabis featuring prominently in national drug-use data and law enforcement seizure reports.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has highlighted the need to combine enforcement with prevention, treatment and rehabilitation to address substance use.
Data from NACADA's 2022 national survey, reproduced in its 2025 national drug policy, estimated that 518,807 people in Kenya used cannabis, equivalent to a prevalence of 1.9 per cent among the population covered by the survey. The survey also estimated that 193,430 cannabis users were aged between 15 and 24.
The figures point to the public health challenge associated with cannabis use, particularly among young people. They also underline why responses to drug-related crime extend beyond arrests and seizures to include public awareness, early intervention and access to treatment.
Drug seizures provide another indication of the scale of enforcement activity, although the quantities recovered do not represent the total amount of cannabis circulating in the country.
NACADA's report on alcohol and drug abuse control recorded approximately 14,737.7 kilogrammes of cannabis seized nationally between July and December 2024, compared with 13,415.2 kilogrammes in the first half of that year.
The Kibwezi operation forms part of wider anti-narcotics enforcement efforts reported by the DCI in different parts of the country.
In July 2026, the agency reported cannabis seizures in Nandi, Kiambu and Kisii counties. The operations included the recovery of 271.3 kilogrammes from a vehicle in Nandi Central and 10 kilogrammes in Kisii.
Such operations are intended to identify suspected storage locations, disrupt distribution activities and gather evidence for possible prosecution. However, the full extent of the alleged network linked to the Kibwezi premises remains unclear.
The DCI has urged members of the public to report suspected drug-related activities, saying information from citizens can help detectives identify locations used to store or distribute narcotics.
The agency invited the public to share information anonymously through its toll-free number, 0800 722 203, or via WhatsApp on 0709 570 000.
The suspects remain in custody as investigators prepare for their arraignment. Their case will proceed through the courts, where the allegations and evidence will be tested.