By Augustine Ehikioya
Kenyan Anti-Narcotics officials have seized a cache of narcotics concealed in two shipments at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The seizure was made based on tip off by members of the public.
According to a statement by Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA) on Thursday, the two consignments have been handed over to Anti-Narcotics Unit DCI officers for further investigation.
The statement said “DCI’s Anti-Narcotics Unit officers based at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport yesterday seized a cache of narcotics concealed in two shipments, following a tipoff.
“One of the shipments that was destined for Australia from Kenya had been declared as African traditional earrings. The typical eye would easily pass the 168 pairs of earrings as just that, but the deft Police officers sensed there was more than met the eye.
“After deeper scrutiny, they discovered a yellow powdery substance cleverly concealed within the ornaments. The powder was subjected to presumptive tests soon afterwards and was positively identified as Morphine.
“A second consignment had been avowed as 12 Kitenge dresses and was enroute to Hong Kong, China. Anti-Narcotics Unit – ANU detectives opened the consignment and recovered the 12 declared dresses and an additional 199 buttons.
“Upon deeper inspection, they were awed to find a white powdered substance shrewdly hidden within the buttons. The powder was subjected to presumptive tests, which revealed it was yet another illegal narcotic substance called Cocaine,” it stated.