by 
A multi-agency team of law enforcers, supported by government and non-government agencies, has successfully completed a four-day operation under Operation Usalama – Coast Region.
The operation targeted drug dens in Kengeleni, Magodoroni, Shanzu, Kisumu Ndogo, Sea Breeze within Malindi township, and Timboni area in Watamu. The team reported significant success in the ongoing war against narcotic drugs.
During the operation, several suspects were arrested, including a juvenile and an army officer. Narcotic drugs such as heroin, marijuana, and diazepam were seized. This crackdown marks another step in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking within the coastal region.
In addition to addressing the narcotics problem, the multi-agency team also targeted counterfeit goods. The team conducted searches in several shops, where counterfeit sportswear was recovered.
At Prijas Sports House located at Mwembe Tayari and operated by Susan Kadzo Mulewa, authorities seized 27 pieces of assorted counterfeit sportswear. Another search at Champions Style Sports Shop at China Mall along Digo Road, operated by Abubakar Khalif, led to the recovery of 204 pieces of counterfeit sportswear.
The operation also extended to bookshops suspected of dealing in counterfeit books. Representatives from various publishing houses accompanied the team to inspect bookshops. At a bookshop named Citizen, located in Mwembe Tayari and operated by Khadija Ali and Buda Abdala, the publishers positively identified seven different series of books as counterfeited, which were in violation of copyright rules.
Further, the team, along with Interpol, inspected several Container Freight Stations (CFS) and motor vehicle showrooms. Over 100 vehicles were inspected, but none were found to be blacklisted as stolen, either from within or outside the country.
Operation Usalama is an initiative of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation (EAPCCO), a regional police body comprising Chiefs of Police from 14 countries, and the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO). The operation aims to prevent and combat cross-border and transnational organized crimes.
The necessity for this operation arose due to the increasing threat posed by transnational crimes, including motor vehicle theft, narcotic drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling of migrants, proliferation of small arms, terrorism, smuggling of minerals, counterfeit goods, and other illicit activities. Recognizing these threats, the Chiefs of Police from both regions decided to cooperate in the fight against these crimes that affect both regions.
Operation Usalama has been conducted successfully in the past, with nine simultaneous operations between 2013 and 2023, under the code names USALAMA I-IX. These efforts have significantly contributed to the fight against transnational crimes within Eastern and Southern Africa.
