Kenya’s Growing Role in Global Meth Production

The entry of Mexican drug cartels points to East Africa’s rising capacity for the manufacture of synthetic drugs.

In October 2024, following a tip-off from the public, Kenya’s Anti-Narcotics Unit arrested three Kenyans, two Nigerians and a member of the Mexican Jalisco New Generation Cartel. They were charged at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) law courts with various drug-related offences. The JKIA courts were established in 2016 to expedite cases involving trafficking in drugs,…