Kenyan woman arrested in Vietnam with 2.3kg of cocaine

A 35-year-old Kenyan woman was arrested at Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, after being found with 2.3kg of cocaine hidden in her suitcase.

The woman, who has not been named, had flown from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) via Bole International Airport in Ethiopia and Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

She was arrested after officials at Tan Son Nhat airport checked her luggage and found that her suitcase had been modified with a second bottom, where the cocaine was hidden.

The drugs were estimated to be worth around Sh350 million.

Police are still investigating how the woman managed to evade security at the other airports.

Vietnam is a major hub for drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle, a region where China, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet. The region is the world’s second-largest drug-producing area.

The country’s 2,300km border with neighbouring states makes it a convenient route for gangs to smuggle drugs.

The arrest of the Kenyan woman is a reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking. It also highlights the need for strong security measures at airports to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs.