The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin is currently in the United States for meetings with security officials aimed at tackling the global drug trafficking menace.
Amin led the Kenyan delegation on Cooperation, Collaboration, and Partnership in the Fight Against Drugs, engaging with George Papadopoulos, the Principal Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in a key meeting on Wednesday.
Discussions centered on addressing the challenges of drug sale, distribution, and consumption, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to combating narcotics. Areas of collaboration included enhanced forensic capabilities, law enforcement training, and educational outreach targeting youth and vulnerable populations.
The U.S. pledged continued support, offering training, resources, and expertise to assist Kenya in addressing the complex dynamics of drug trafficking. The Kenyan delegation expressed their gratitude for this partnership, emphasizing the importance of joint initiatives to strengthen enforcement, intelligence-sharing, and community awareness programs aimed at preventing drug abuse at the grassroots level.
The partnership between Kenya and the DEA has a history of success, such as the 2014 U.S.-led sting operation in Mombasa that resulted in the arrest of the Akasha brothers. These drug traffickers were extradited to the U.S., where they faced prosecution alongside associates Gulam Hussein and Vijaygiri Goswami.
Both Akasha brothers pleaded guilty in 2018, with Ibrahim Akasha receiving a 23-year prison sentence in 2020, while his brother, Baktash Akasha, the leader of the Akasha organization, was sentenced to 25 years. These sentences were viewed as significant victories for prosecutors combating international narcotics networks.
The recent meetings highlight the deepening collaboration between Kenya and the U.S. to combat drug trafficking and create a safer, drug-free society.
