Ugandan woman extradited to Kenya over cannabis trafficking arraigned » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 12 – A Ugandan woman accused of masterminding a high-stakes cannabis trafficking scheme was on Monday arraigned at the JKIA Law Courts, where she was charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said Hellen Ikareut, believed to be a key figure in a transnational drug network, was arrested in Uganda after a cross-border manhunt and extradited to Kenya following more than two years on the run.

 The court will mention the case on August 25, 2025.

According to DCI, the investigation began on May 18, 2023, when detectives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s DHL Cargo Section intercepted a suspicious shipment.

“Inside a carton box, hidden within 25 shower curtains, they found 4,186.34 grams of cannabis sativa, a smuggling trick designed to slip past customs undetected,” the agency said Tuesday.

The discovery set off a trail that led investigators to Ikareut’s hideout in Uganda.

Working in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, Interpol Kenya, and Ugandan authorities, detectives invoked Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and extradition protocols under East African Community agreements.

On August 5, 2025, Ugandan police arrested Ikareut and handed her over to Kenyan law enforcement.

DCI said the case highlights the importance of regional cooperation in dismantling organized crime.

“By pooling intelligence, legal tools, and enforcement resources across borders, East African nations are proving that coordinated action can choke off trafficking networks and bring fugitives to account,” DCI said.