Detectives are searching for a suspected smuggler who reportedly deceived four Ethiopians into traveling to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with promises of flights to the Middle East. Upon arrival at the airport on Sunday night, the four individuals were found without any travel documents.
The group informed police that their “contact,” who turned out to be a smuggler, had instructed them to wait at the airport. After waiting for several hours with no sign of their contact, they moved to the screening area, where airport security inquired about their airline and destination. The four replied that they were waiting for their contact to assist them.
As it became clear that they lacked travel documents, the decision was made to arrest them. Police indicated that they would face charges for being in the country unlawfully while arrangements are made for their repatriation.
Currently, more than 50 Ethiopians are being held in separate cells across the country after being apprehended for illegal entry and smuggling. Some of these individuals have been repatriated, but a significant number remain in custody awaiting processing. Recently, a hunger strike was staged by some detainees at Buruburu police station in Nairobi, demanding repatriation.
These arrests are part of a troubling trend of Ethiopian smuggling operations. Many Ethiopians attempt to transit through Kenya on their way to South Africa or the Middle East, often unaware of the risks involved. The use of the Moyale route, which is notorious for its high incidence of smuggling, has led to numerous arrests across the country as individuals wait to move on to their next destinations.
Efforts to combat human smuggling include joint operations by officials from Transnational Organized Crime. The challenge of evading multiple roadblocks along the Moyale route, which has over 20 checkpoints, highlights the complexities involved in curbing this issue.
In a related case, an Ethiopian national was recently sentenced to 31 years in prison for trafficking 12 fellow Ethiopians in Nairobi. Yibekal Gatachew, also known as Adinan Mohamed Galano, received his sentence on September 7, 2023, following his arrest in Ngumo estate, Nairobi, on November 3, 2021.
Most of those arrested are typically repatriated to their home country, according to police and immigration officials.
