In a bold move to combat rampant drug abuse and the illicit alcohol trade in Nairobi, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) enforcement team, under the command of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nicholas Kosgei, conducted a high-stakes operation in Mutuini, Ndonyo Market (Dagoretti Sub-County).
The crackdown, which unfolded at 4:00 PM Tuesday, May 20, targeted notorious drug trafficking hubs and chang’aa dens—sending a clear message: Nairobi’s streets will not be a haven for narcotics and illegal brews.
Armed with intelligence and backed by 15 officers, SSP Kosgei led the team in storming four suspected chang’aa dens. However, the operators had either been tipped off or cleared out, leaving no exhibits or suspects behind. Undeterred, the team swiftly shifted focus to a notorious drug hotspot adjacent to a railway line, where a large group of young men were openly consuming narcotics.
As officers moved in, chaos erupted. The suspects, caught off guard, fled into nearby shanties and open fields, abandoning a three-quarter sack of suspected cannabis in their haste. The officers recovered the stash, but the confrontation took a dangerous turn when angry youth regrouped, pelting stones at the enforcement team and their vehicle. Luckily, no injuries were reported, and the team made a strategic withdrawal to avoid further escalation.
Speaking after the operation, SSP Kosgei emphasized that the crackdown was just the beginning. “We will not allow drug traffickers and illicit brewers to destroy our youth. This operation sends a strong message—we are watching, and we will strike without warning,” he declared. The recovered exhibit was securely logged at Jogoo Road Police Station’s exhibit store, with a full report filed at Riruta Police Station.
Residents of Mutuini have long complained about the brazen drug trade and alcoholism plaguing their neighborhood, with many youths falling victim to addiction. NACADA’s intervention has been hailed as a critical step toward reclaiming the area from criminal elements.
