A Tanzanian national suspected of leading an international drug trafficking network has been arrested in Kenya in a joint operation involving Tanzania’s Drug Control and Enforcement Authority and Kenyan law enforcement agencies. Saleh Khamis Baseleman, popularly known as Mbwiga, is accused of sourcing narcotics directly from Afghanistan and transporting them by sea to the Kenyan coast, particularly Mombasa, before distributing them to several countries, including Tanzania.
Baseleman was linked to the seizure of 3.5 tonnes of drugs by the DCEA in December 2023 in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam, and Iringa Region. In December 2025, the High Court’s Corruption and Economic Crimes Division ordered the forfeiture of assets worth Sh3.3 billion belonging to two suspects, including Mr Baseleman, over offences linked to drug trafficking. The assets, comprising houses, plots of land and vehicles, were forfeited following investigations which established that they had been acquired through proceeds associated with the illegal trade.
Baseleman was arrested on November 7 in Kwale, Mombasa, during an operation conducted in collaboration with Kenya’s National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse. His arrest followed investigations launched after a November 6 operation in Mwenge, Dar es Salaam, in which the DCEA seized 299 packets of narcotics, including 275 packets of methamphetamine and 24 of heroin. Four suspects were arrested during the operation after the drugs were found concealed in two Ford Ranger vehicles.
The suspects told investigators that they had collected the drugs in Mombasa and transported them into Tanzania through the Horohoro border post in Tanga Region. The information enabled the authorities to work with Kenyan authorities to trace the source of the drugs and identify other members of the network. The operation conducted in Mombasa led to the arrest of three other suspects, including Baseleman.
Investigations have established that Baseleman had direct links with drug-producing facilities in Afghanistan, from where he allegedly ordered consignments that were transported using traditional sailing vessels. The drugs were offloaded in Mombasa before being distributed to various countries through different border routes, including those leading into Tanzania.
The network used several routes to move the drugs, including the Busia border between Kenya and Uganda, as well as Korogwe, Mtukula, Tunduma and Kasumulu on the Tanzanian side. The arrests have raised questions about how large consignments of narcotics managed to cross several borders despite the presence of inspection points and government officials.
DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo said investigations were needed to establish how the drugs passed through the border areas, adding that the possibility of some individuals colluding with traffickers could not be ruled out. The arrest of Baseleman and other suspects is a significant blow to the international drug trafficking network, and authorities are expected to continue investigations to uncover the full extent of the network.
Key points
- Saleh Khamis Baseleman, a Tanzanian national, was arrested in Kenya for allegedly leading an international drug trafficking network.
- Baseleman is accused of sourcing narcotics from Afghanistan and distributing them to several countries, including Tanzania.
- The arrest was a result of a joint operation between Tanzanian and Kenyan law enforcement agencies.
