Ugandan woman extradited to Kenya over drug trafficking arraigned

A Ugandan woman accused of trafficking cannabis has been extradited to Kenya after more than two years on the run has been arraigned in court.

Hellen Ikareut was arrested in Uganda on August 5, 2025, following a joint operation between Kenyan and Ugandan authorities, working alongside Interpol and the Office of the Attorney General.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), her extradition was carried out under the East African Community’s Mutual Legal Assistance and extradition agreements.

The manhunt for Ikareut began on May 18, 2023, when detectives at the DHL Cargo Section of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport intercepted a suspicious parcel.

Inside a carton box containing 25 shower curtains, officers found 4,186.34 grams of cannabis sativa cleverly concealed.

Following her arrest in Uganda, Ikareut was handed over to Kenyan law enforcement and arraigned at the JKIA Law Courts on August 11, 2025, facing charges of trafficking in narcotic drugs.

The matter is scheduled for a mention on August 25, 2025.

The DCI hailed the operation saying it highlights the importance of regional cooperation in combating organised 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 in a statement on X.