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The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has refuted claims that a Mexican cartel successfully ran a drug lab in Namanga, Kenya, as reported in a local newspaper. Instead, authorities assert that the cartel's plans were thwarted before the lab could be fully operationalized.
According to a press statement issued by the DCI, the breakthrough came on September 12, 2024, when a multi-agency team, led by Anti-Narcotics Unit officers, raided a suspected clandestine laboratory in a remote area, eight kilometers from the Nairobi-Namanga highway.
The site housed makeshift structures, including a chemical storage facility and a sleeping area, where investigators found exercise books containing chemical formulas and drug-lab drawings. A mobile phone belonging to a Mexican suspect was also recovered.
Authorities swiftly arrested the first suspect, Betty Mukami Micheni, on September 16, 2024, at her residence in Ruiru, Kiambu County. She was believed to have played a pivotal role in securing the land and setting up the laboratory alongside Agwu Ojukwu, a Nigerian national. Documents linking Mukami to the acquisition of chemicals and equipment were seized from her home.
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International Drug Syndicate
The investigation soon exposed a far-reaching international network. On October 1, 2024, another suspect, MBA Ogwu Ogba, was arrested in Nairobi’s Lavington area. His alleged accomplice, Agwu Ojukwu, attempted to flee the country but was intercepted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on October 3.
The DCI identified Ojukwu as the mastermind behind the operation, having visited Kenya as early as 2007 under the guise of business. He reportedly owns multiple enterprises across Nigeria, Gabon, South Africa, and China and has ties to a South American drug cartel.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Alvarado Israel Vera, a former Mexican police officer turned criminal operative. He was nabbed at JKIA while attempting to escape to Mexico.
Security agencies believe he was recruited for his expertise in manufacturing synthetic opioids such as methamphetamine and had recently arrived in Kenya to oversee the laboratory’s operations. His associates are still being pursued.
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Local Involvement and Business Fronts
The cartel’s local support network extended beyond individuals. Two Kenyan companies, Enormed Pharma Ltd and Betlink Supplies Ltd, were also charged in court for their alleged role in procuring and distributing chemicals used in drug production.
Additional suspects, Caroline Wambui Muchira and Francis Maina Gachau, were arrested for allegedly handling the purchase and distribution of these chemicals.
The DCI revealed that the cartel had established a vast international nexus stretching across Nigeria, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Gabon. However, Kenyan law enforcement, working closely with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), successfully disrupted their plans before the operation could take off.
The agency also clarified that no cartel members had been deported for trial elsewhere, as some reports suggested. Instead, all arrested individuals were set to face prosecution within Kenya’s legal framework.
"The unwavering commitment of the National Police Service, alongside our close cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, plays a crucial role in thwarting the activities of drug traffickers both within our country and throughout the region," said DCI Director of Communications John Marete in the statement.
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Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, CJNG) is one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent drug cartels. It emerged in the early 2010s and has since expanded its influence beyond Mexico, with operations reaching the United States, Europe, Asia, and now Africa.
Origins and Leadership
CJNG was founded after a split from the Sinaloa Cartel following the death of Ignacio "Nacho" Coronel in 2010. The group is led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," a former police officer turned drug lord. Under his leadership, CJNG has grown into a global criminal empire.
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Operations and Drug Trade
CJNG is known for producing and trafficking methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. The cartel has a highly sophisticated distribution network that supplies illicit drugs to the U.S. and other global markets. It is also involved in human trafficking, arms smuggling, and extortion.
Expansion into Africa
U.S. security agencies have been monitoring CJNG’s increasing interest in Africa, particularly in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria, which are becoming key transit points for drug shipments. Mexican cartels, including CJNG, collaborate with West African drug syndicates to smuggle narcotics into Europe and Asia.
Extreme Violence and Military Tactics
CJNG is infamous for its brutal violence, often posting videos of beheadings and executions to intimidate rivals. It has a military-style organization, with armored vehicles, high-powered weapons, and well-trained hit squads known as Los Matazetas (The Zetas Killers).
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Efforts to Dismantle CJNG
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers CJNG one of the most dangerous cartels in the world. The U.S. government has placed a $10 million bounty on El Mencho, but despite several arrests of cartel members, CJNG remains highly influential.