The National Police Service has confirmed that 17 suspects have been arrested and are in custody awaiting arraignment, as officers move aggressively to restore order in affected communities.

The crackdown comes in response to a worrying rise in armed robbery, burglary, drug trafficking, and violent land encroachment by armed gangs, with Kilifi among the areas hardest hit.

Residents had grown increasingly unsettled, and authorities say the operations are a direct response to those concerns.

Among the items recovered during the targeted operation were an AK47 rifle complete with a magazine and twelve rounds of ammunition, over 35 kilograms of suspected narcotics including bhang, heroin and cocaine, more than 40 mobile phones and SIM cards believed to have been used to coordinate criminal networks, crude weapons including clubs and machetes, and government stores among them police uniforms flagged as key exhibits in ongoing investigations.

The National Police Service says the operations are intelligence-led and involve intensified patrols, enhanced surveillance, and strategic deployments across identified hotspots in the region.

Authorities have made clear that the crackdown is far from over, with sustained efforts underway to dismantle criminal activity before it takes deeper root in coastal communities.