Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations have arrested a suspected drug trafficker in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, following a successful anti-narcotics operation that led to the recovery of heroin and cannabis sativa.

In a statement posted on its X account on May 8, 2026, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the operation was carried out by officers from the Anti-Narcotics Unit Coast Regional Headquarters in collaboration with detectives from Taita Taveta.

“The operation was conducted in Jombo Chawia village at Hill Court Apartments, where undercover sleuths, acting on a reliable tip-off, made the discovery,” the agency said.

According to investigators, the targeted raid led officers to an apartment believed to have been used as a storage and distribution point for illegal narcotics.

During a thorough search of the premises, detectives recovered a packet of heroin and two sacks filled with cannabis sativa.

Authorities identified the suspect as 42-year-old Charles Mwakala Mngolia, whom detectives described as a key figure in the illegal drug trade in the region.

“The mastermind behind this illicit trade, 42-year-old Charles Mwakala Mngolia, was apprehended on the spot, his plans foiled by detectives’ relentless efforts,” the DCI stated.

The arrest marks another milestone in ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating along the Coast region, an area that has often been flagged as a transit route for narcotics.

Mngolia is currently being held at the Coast Regional Headquarters, where he is undergoing processing ahead of his court appearance.

Meanwhile, the recovered heroin and cannabis have been secured as exhibits as detectives continue with investigations into possible links to a wider trafficking network.

The latest operation underscores the DCI’s intensified crackdown on narcotics, with authorities maintaining that individuals involved in the drug trade will be pursued and brought to justice.