Suspect arrested in Nairobi over drone shipment destined for Somalia

Police in Nairobi have apprehended a suspect following the discovery of a dismantled drone and its components at a cargo facility in Eastleigh. The individual, identified as Mohamud Hared, was detained on Friday when he arrived at the facility to collect a package that had been sent from China by a person named Abdi Kafi. The company became suspicious after noticing that the package was securely wrapped and the contents had not been declared properly.

According to the police report, Hared paid for the delivery using the M-Pesa mobile payment system and requested that the package be opened. It was later revealed that the package contained a disassembled unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) and various accessories. The management immediately notified the police, who promptly arrested Hared and transported him to Pangani Police Station for questioning.

The suspect revealed that the drone was intended for delivery to Baled Hawo town in Somalia, through the port of Mandera, where it was to be collected by Yussuf Abdi Abdille, a local resident. Hared is currently in police custody as authorities continue to investigate the shipment and its potential use. Drones of this type could potentially be utilized for terrorist activities in the region, prompting ongoing efforts to restrict their importation.

Kenya has been actively working to prevent such imports. The incident of a suspect arrested in Nairobi over a drone shipment destined for Somalia was initially reported by Kahawatungu.