Busted at JKIA: Bold Woman Smuggler Caught With Ksh4 Million Worth of Cocaine Pellets in Stomach

In a daring attempt that reads like a scene from a crime thriller, a 26-year-old Kenyan woman was arrested on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine by ingesting drug pellets. 

According to a report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the suspect had just cleared a routine check when her anxious body language drew the attention of the ever-alert Anti-Narcotics Unit. Detectives intervened moments before she could board her outbound international flight. 

“Her uneasy demeanor set off alarm bells,” DCI noted in their official update. A more thorough search soon followed, leading investigators to suspect the woman had internally concealed narcotics. She was quickly placed under medical supervision to monitor and facilitate the expulsion of the contraband. 

Later that same day, the suspect passed two pellets while using a washroom. Over the next 24 hours, six more followed, bringing the total to eight cocaine-filled capsules. Lab analysis revealed the pellets contained approximately 626.65 grams of cocaine, with a street value of around Ksh4.39 million. 

Authorities praised the swift coordination between security and medical teams at the airport, which ensured the suspect was safely monitored and the evidence collected in full. 

She remains in custody and is expected to be arraigned in court on Monday, June 16, once investigations are finalized. 

Interestingly, this isn’t the first instance of body-packing being thwarted this year. On February 19, a United States citizen was arrested in Nairobi after attempting to smuggle cocaine from Alabama to Saudi Arabia. The bust followed a doctor’s tip-off after the man sought emergency medical help. An endoscopy revealed three cocaine pellets lodged in his rectum, weighing nearly 58 grams. 

Such cases highlight a disturbing trend of traffickers resorting to extreme methods, risking both arrest and their lives in a bid to outsmart law enforcement. 

JKIA continues to be a high-alert zone for narcotics trafficking, thanks to its strategic location and traffic volume. Anti-narcotics teams have heightened surveillance and are leveraging intelligence sharing, medical checks, and behavioral profiling to intercept smugglers before they cross borders. 

While traffickers may continue to evolve their methods, so do law enforcement agencies. As this latest case shows, no amount of confidence, or concealment, can outrun the long arm of justice.