A Thai national, Netima Ngamsap, has been sentenced to 27 years in jail by Senior Principal Magistrate Irene Gichobi at the JKIA Law Courts after being found guilty of drug trafficking.
In a statement on February 19, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) confirmed that Ngamsap was arrested with 2,092 grams of cocaine, worth KSh 8.3 million, hidden in the false bottom of a grey suitcase.
“Netima Ngamsap was charged and found guilty of trafficking 2,092 grams of cocaine valued at Ksh. 8,368,000,” read the part of a statement by the ODPP.
The drugs were discovered during routine checks at the airport.
Prosecution Presents 11 Witnesses
Prosecutors, led by State Counsel John Tago, called 11 witnesses who gave clear and consistent evidence proving Ngamsap was involved in the trafficking scheme.
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Throughout the trial, the accused had a defence lawyer and a Thai interpreter to ensure he understood the proceedings.
After sentencing, the court informed Ngamsap that he has 14 days to appeal the conviction and the sentence.
Netima Ngamsap was apprehended at JKIA’s Terminal 1C in June 2023 after authorities discovered 2,092 grams of cocaine in her possession. She was detained just moments before boarding a flight headed to Singapore.
DCI Resolve on Countering Trafficking
The sentencing of the Thai national comes at a time when authorities have vowed to step up surveillance aimed at curbing drug trafficking and abuse in Kenya.
In one of the recent operations, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a suspected trafficker in Diani on January 9, 2026.
According to a report by the investigative agency, a multi-agency security team conducted an intelligence-led operation in Diani that led to the arrest of the trafficker, a 36-year-old woman, and the recovery of narcotics.
Detectives first recovered two green gunny bags stuffed with rolls of cannabis.
The suspect then led officers to her nearby residence in Diani, where a larger haul was recovered.
Upon conducting further search in the house, detectives discovered multiple packages of narcotics, including a black bag and another green gunny bag, all filled with cannabis.
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The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, a key transport hub in the region, has been one of the hotspots.
Several cases of attempted drug trafficking through the Airport have been reported in the past, with customs officers collaborating with security agencies to double down on scanning the luggage of passengers checking in.
But concerns about the effectiveness of the screening remain high, with questions repeatedly arising over how some travellers still manage to sneak drugs in and out of the country.
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