Kenyan police have arrested a Somali man suspected of attempting to send a drone and related equipment to Somalia after the package was intercepted at a cargo company in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area.
The suspect, identified as Mahmoud Hared, was arrested on Friday while collecting the shipment, which authorities said had reportedly been sent from China.
The package was opened after the cargo company raised concerns about its contents, and officers allegedly found a disassembled drone along with other associated equipment inside.
According to the police report, the cargo company became suspicious after noticing that the package had been heavily sealed and that the sender had not clearly declared what it contained.
Hared reportedly paid the shipping charges through M-Pesa and requested that the package be opened, prompting the company to notify the police.
Police officers subsequently arrived at the premises, arrested Hared and took him to Pangani Police Station for questioning.
Authorities are investigating the shipment, including where the equipment came from, its intended destination in Somalia and how it was supposed to be used.
Hared remains in police custody as investigations continue. Kenyan authorities have not yet publicly established that the drone was intended for an armed group or confirm whether the shipment was connected to any specific organization in Somalia.
The case comes amid heightened security concerns in Kenya over the movement of weapons, surveillance equipment and other potentially sensitive materials across the Kenya-Somalia border.