'Drug dealer' collapses and dies as police seize two suspected accomplices,Sh50 million heroin

By PATRICK BEJA

Anti-narcotics police in Mombasa are holding a 22-year-old Lithuanian tourist and a Kenyan woman following the sudden death of another Lithuanian of a suspected overdose of heroin in the coastal city’s red light district.

Police claim 24.5 kilogrammes of high-grade heroin were found when they broke into the trio’s hotel room only to find them unconscious.

Documents seized by the detectives identify the deceased as Riekymas Ricardas from Lithuania and his foreign companion as Kurdirke Gytis, 22, who arrived in Kenyan on October 4 this year from Russia on a tourist visa.

The two were expected to leave Kenya today, according to the documents. Their Kenyan friend is identified as Ann Muthoni, an alleged native of Eldoret.

Police also seized two suitcases with clothes and six packages containing a brownish powder they suspect to be heroin estimated at Sh50 million.

Riekymas and his two companions had checked into Ganjoni Wananchi Hotel on Wednesday evening.

Police said they received a distress call from the hotel that a tourist had died in the room and another was in a critical condition.

Mombasa County Police Commander Robert Kitur, who confirmed the incident, said yesterday the foreigner died while being rushed to hospital.

“We rushed the tourists to a hospital but one died while the other one is okay and he is under arrest together with the Kenyan woman,”  Kitur said. A hospital source also said Mr Ricardas was already dead when he arrived there.

A hotel manager confirmed booking the tourists, but declined to divulge further information.

Mr Gytis and his Kenyan friend were interrogated by the Mombasa Urban police chief Mr Joseph Muthee under tight security yesterday morning before they were transferred to the county police headquarters.

According to police, the Lithuanians stayed at a star-rated hotel on Mombasa island before moving to the cheaper hotel where they were joined by the Kenyan woman.

 Mr Kitur said Mr Gytis complained of dizziness when he was treated at the hospital.

He said police were awaiting the postmortem examination on the dead tourist to establish the cause of his death.

transit zone

Police said the tourists were legally in the country and that they could have obtained the drugs in Kenya.

“They came here as tourists and they were screened at the airport. We are investigating how they got the drugs. It is possible that they got the cargo in Kenya,” Kitur said.

With a principal seaport, Mombasa is believed to be one of the main entry points for drugs into the country.

In 1995, 20 tonnes of hashish worth Sh2 billion were seized on a dhow at the south Coast and 12 people were arrested and arraigned in court.

In 1998, 17.5 kilogrammes of heroin was seized in Mombasa and several people were arrested in connection with the haul.