On December 13, 2005, two Armenian citizens, Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargsyan, known as the “Artur Brothers,” arrived in Kenya from Dubai, posing as investors.
They were quickly issued Kenyan passports and work permits, allegedly with the assistance of powerful government officials.
During their time in Kenya, they received special treatment, including being recognised as high-ranking officials with access to VIP facilities at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). They were even appointed as deputy police commissioners, which granted them access to various secure locations.
While residing in Kenya, the Artur Brothers exhibited a lavish lifestyle, driving luxury cars accompanied by VIP security. They lived in an upscale mansion in the Runda neighbourhood of Nairobi.
However, their presence in Kenya was surrounded by controversy. Their extravagant lifestyle and access to secure facilities, including VIP passes at JKIA, raised suspicions.
Artur Brothers Arrive in Kenya
As time passed, more details about their background emerged, contradicting their claims of being investors.
Reports linked the Artur Brothers to a range of illegal activities, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and acting as mercenaries.
It was alleged that they had come to Kenya to recover 1.1 metric tonnes of cocaine, valued at Ksh 6.4 billion, which had been confiscated in December 2004.
Reports suggested that they were hired by drug traffickers to retrieve the drugs under the guise of setting up an anti-narcotics unit. The cocaine had been found in two refrigerated containers at a depot in Embakasi, Nairobi, and in a villa in Malindi.
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A report from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) warned the government that the brothers were dangerous drug dealers and part of an international hit squad. However, no immediate action was taken, allegedly due to their protection from certain government officials.
Fearing that their activities were becoming exposed, on March 1, 2006, the Artur Brothers, accompanied by individuals believed to be Kenyan security personnel, including members of the Kenya Police and the Kanga Squad—a special police unit—raided the Standard Group media house.
This raid was reportedly based on false claims that the outlet was planning to publish a story linking influential individuals to drug trafficking. The raid resulted in vandalism and the seizure of newspapers, drawing significant public attention.
Government Deports the Armenian Brothers
The day after the raid, on March 2, 2006, John Michuki, Kenya’s Internal Security Minister, stated, “If you rattle a snake, you must be prepared to be bitten by it,” justifying the government’s involvement in the raid on The Standard newspaper and Kenya Television Network (KTN) offices in Nairobi.
Faced with public pressure, opposition from politicians such as Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta, and concerns from foreign diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador William Bellamy, President Mwai Kibaki’s government acted to deport the Artur Brothers.
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On June 9, 2006, Internal Security Minister John Michuki and Police Commissioner Hussein Ali orchestrated their swift deportation to Dubai without a court hearing, a decision that drew heavy criticism.
A parliamentary report in 2007 suggested that the deportation was “orchestrated” to shield the brothers from criminal charges and to conceal their true activities, implicating senior government officials in facilitating their departure from the country.
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