KWALE: Police in Kwale County have arrested several suspected members of a notorious criminal gang during a targeted raid in Lunga Lunga Township, where weapons, drugs, and a suspected getaway motorcycle were recovered.

The operation, conducted on August 1, 2025, was led by officers from Lunga Lunga Police Station acting on a tip-off from members of the public.

According to authorities, the intelligence indicated the presence of a wanted murder suspect and his accomplices in the Ngeneni area.

“One of the individuals, believed to be a key gang member, is wanted on an active arrest warrant for murder and had reportedly been spotted in the company of his accomplices in the area,” the National Police Service (NPS) said in a statement.

Acting swiftly, the officers raided a single-room house within the township, where they found several suspects reportedly armed with machetes and smoking cannabis sativa.

A thorough search of the premises led to the recovery of approximately 257 grams of cannabis, five machetes, and a black Tanzanian-registered motorcycle (registration number MC890), which is suspected to have been used in cross-border criminal activities.

All the suspects were taken into custody and are expected to be arraigned in court in the coming days.

In confirming the incident, the National Police Service commended the public for their cooperation and urged continued vigilance.

“We appreciate the members of the public who provided timely information. Your support played a critical role in making this operation a success,” read part of the NPS statement.

The arrests come as part of intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle criminal networks in Kwale and other coastal counties, many of which have been linked to violent crimes, including robberies, assaults, and smuggling across the Kenya-Tanzania border.

Police have urged residents to continue reporting suspicious activities, warning that crackdowns on organized gangs will be escalated in the coming weeks.