Dar es Salaam. Four people have been arrested after a large consignment of khat smuggled from Mombasa, Kenya, into Tanzania was intercepted in Bagamoyo District, the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has said.
The seizure comes a day after the authority reported a rise in the influx and use of khat in the country.
The drugs, packed into 1,062 bundles and stored in 18 sacks, were recovered from a modern boat at Magambani Beach in Kaole Ufundi area.
All four suspects are Tanzanian nationals. Two are residents of Tanga, while the other two come from Dar es Salaam.
The interception follows growing concern by DCEA over an expanding network involved in khat trafficking, which has contributed to rising imports of the stimulant. In March alone, 1,267.12 kilogrammes were seized.
DCEA Commissioner General Aretas Lyimo said on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, that the boat was intercepted in the early hours of April 14, 2026, during an intelligence-led operation targeting an increasingly active trafficking network.
He said that after notable progress in curbing industrial drugs and cannabis, authorities were now witnessing a sharp rise in khat use, with traffickers adopting new smuggling methods.
Mr Lyimo said the operation was launched following intelligence reports on a network transporting the stimulant through maritime routes.
He added that a special team tracked the boat until it reached Kaole, where it was surrounded and intercepted.
“This boat has long been used to transport khat from Kenya into Tanzania. We have been monitoring it closely and have now succeeded in intercepting it together with its cargo. This is a major step in the fight against drug trafficking. We are continuing to pursue those behind this illegal trade,” he said.
Mr Lyimo further said investigations were ongoing to uncover the wider network, including financiers, distributors and local recipients.
“We will not tolerate any acts that endanger the safety and health of citizens. Anyone involved in drug trafficking will face the full force of the law, regardless of status,” he said.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious drug-related activity, saying the fight against trafficking requires collective effort.
Kaole Ufundi hamlet chairman Hamad Urali said residents were shocked by the incident, noting the area had long been considered peaceful.
“We never imagined such activities could take place here. It shows how well-organised these networks are and how secretly they operate,” he said.
Social affairs expert, Dr Amina Khamis, told The Citizen’s sister newspaper, Mwananchi, that the seizure reflects ongoing challenges in the fight against drug abuse and the need for wider cooperation.
She said khat use, especially among young people, is contributing to health and social problems, including dependency, reduced productivity, and petty crime.
“It is important for communities to continue providing information whenever they suspect such activities. Law enforcement alone cannot succeed without public cooperation,” she said.
