A 25-year-old Kenyan woman has been arrested after she was busted attempting to smuggle cocaine through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Caroline Wanjiku Mwangi was intercepted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)'s Anti-Narcotics Unit as she prepared to board a flight to Goa, India.
Her suspicious luggage drew the attention of the officers during a routine security check.
Upon inspection, two concealed bags were discovered in her handbags.
Inside them, officers found a white powdery substance wrapped carefully in yellow cello tape.
DRUG MULE BUSTED WITH COKE BEFORE TAKEOFF
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... pic.twitter.com/mfR8gr3Qkc - DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) May 2, 2025
Preliminary tests at the scene confirmed the detectives' suspicions that the substance was cocaine.
The total weight of the illegal cargo was 1.3 kilograms with a street value of millions.
Wanjiku was immediately arrested and taken to the JKIA Police Station, where she is being held pending her arraignment in court.
The seized narcotics have been secured as evidence as investigations continue.
Her arrest comes amid national uproar over the fate of 37-year-old Margaret Nduta Macharia, who was sentenced to death in March by a Vietnamese court.
The suspected drug mule was arrested after being found with over two kilograms of cocaine in a suitcase at Ho Chi Minh City Airport in July 2023.
Nduta, a resident of Kiharu in Murang'a County, claimed she was unaware of the drugs and had been handed the bag by an agent.
Her case triggered emotional appeals from family members, human rights activists, and leaders, urging President William Ruto to intervene directly to halt the execution.
Kenyan authorities launched urgent diplomatic efforts to save her life.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing'oei confirmed that he had spoken to Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Nguyen Minh Hang, conveying Kenya's concern and formally requesting a stay of execution.
