DCEA nabs Mombasa-based Tanzanian for involvement in drug trafficking
DAR ES SALAAM: A Tanzanian national based in Mombasa, Kenya, Salehe Baseleman, alias Mbwiga, who is suspected of sourcing drugs directly from Afghanistan and trafficking them to various countries, including Tanzania, has been arrested and is awaiting further legal proceedings.
Mbwiga is alleged to have been transporting narcotics by sea to the coastal shores of Mombasa before distributing them to different countries.
The businessman is among seven suspects arrested by the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) through a special operation conducted in Tanzania and Kenya.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam today, November 9, 2026, DCEA Commissioner General, Aretas Lyimo, said some of those arrested were key figures in an international drug trafficking and distribution network operating across several countries, including Afghanistan, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Dubai.
“The suspect currently in our custody is also linked to the seizure of 3.5 tonnes of narcotics intercepted by DCEA in December 2023 in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam, and Iringa Region,” he said.
Elaborating on the operation, Mr Lyimo said authorities had also seized a total of 299 packages of narcotics, comprising 24 packages of heroin and 275 packages of methamphetamine.
He said the drugs were discovered concealed in two Ford Ranger vehicles, registration numbers T.950 ERA and T.417 EJZ, which have also been impounded in connection with the alleged offences.
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Four suspects were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Juma Kisomeko, 36, a Ugandan national, driver and resident of Piji, Uganda; Issa Nassoro, 34, a businessman; Ibrahim Chembela, 30, a driver; and Mohamed Shemtuu, 45, also a driver. The latter three are residents of Tabata, Dar es Salaam.
“Following their arrest and interrogation, the suspects disclosed that they had collected the drugs in Mombasa, Kenya, and transported them into Tanzania through the Horohoro border in Tanga Region,” he said.
Based on the information obtained, DCEA contacted the relevant authorities in Kenya and established operational cooperation to identify the source of the drugs, the location where they had been stored and other individuals involved in the network.
Mr Lyimo further said that through the cooperation, DCEA and Kenya’s National Anti-Narcotics Bureau (NANB) seized 454 packages of methamphetamine on November 7, 2026, during an operation conducted in the Kwale area of Mombasa, Kenya.
Three additional suspects were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Salehe Baseleman, alias Mbwiga, a Tanzanian businessman residing in Mombasa; Seif Hamadi, alias Babu Seif, a Tanzanian fisherman residing in Kinondo, Mombasa; and Zuraicah Hussein, a Ugandan businesswoman residing in Shirazi, Mombasa.
“Legal procedures between Tanzania and Kenya are ongoing to ensure that all suspects are brought before the relevant judicial authorities for further action. The success of this operation demonstrates the importance of national, regional and international cooperation in combating drug trafficking worldwide,” he said.
Mr Lyimo called on members of the public to continue providing information on signs of drug trafficking and abuse to support efforts to combat the narcotics trade.
