Kenya’s fight against organized crime scored a major victory as the Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) apprehended four individuals linked to an international cocaine trafficking network using Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as a key transit point.
The operation, conducted over three days, highlights intensified efforts to disrupt criminal syndicates exploiting the country’s transport hubs.
Between October 5 and 7, 2025, TOCU, working with multiple agencies, arrested the main operators of the syndicate.
Rishad Abdulrahim Sheikh, identified as the leader, and Muamar Mutua Mohammed, who managed logistics and coordinated drug movement through JKIA, were among those detained.
On October 5, Rishad and his cousin Hajinur Yussuf Mohamed were intercepted at Nyali Center Mall in Mombasa.
The arrests were tied to an ongoing international case involving Jesse Da Mata Dos Santos, a British national recently caught in London with 20 kilograms of cocaine.
Rishad holds dual Kenyan-British citizenship, while Hajinur and Jesse are British citizens.
The following day, authorities in Nairobi detained Muamar Mutua Mohammed and his cousin, Adam Omari.
During these arrests, officers recovered 750 grams of cocaine worth around Sh2.9 million and materials used to package and conceal narcotics.
On October 7, all four suspects were brought before Magistrate Njeri Thuku at JKIA Law Courts.
Investigators obtained 13 days’ custodial orders, keeping the suspects in detention until October 29, 2025, as inquiries continue.
The investigation had been underway since mid-2024, following intelligence tracking of the syndicate’s operations.
TOCU officials said the arrests represent a major disruption of drug networks moving cocaine across borders and through key transport points in Kenya.
The operation underscores the unit’s commitment to tackling transnational organized crime.