Top security officials, led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, will gather in Mombasa to oversee the destruction of an Sh8.2 billion methamphetamine haul. The exercise aims to send a strong message to drug traffickers operating in the region. The haul, weighing over one tonne, was seized in the Indian Ocean and is valued at approximately Sh8.2 billion.
The destruction of the methamphetamine haul comes as the case against six Iranian nationals accused of trafficking the substance proceeds at the Shanzu Law Courts. The six suspects, identified as Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch, and Imtiyaz Daryay, have a case to answer, according to Shanzu Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi.
The court found that the prosecution had established a prima facie case, paving the way for the suspects to be placed on their defence. The prosecution presented 12 witnesses and closed its case, leading to the magistrate's ruling. The six are charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.
According to the prosecution, the accused, jointly with others, conveyed the consignment aboard the vessel Mashaallah, which was allegedly unregistered and stateless. The vessel was intercepted on the high seas while carrying the suspected narcotics. The alleged offence occurred between October 17 and 20, 2025, in international waters.
The seizure followed an operation on October 21, 2025, when the Kenyan Navy intercepted a dhow about 340 nautical miles east of the Mombasa coast. The operation was based on intelligence shared between the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell (RNIFC) in Bahrain and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles.
Authorities recovered 769 packets of a crystal substance weighing 1,024kg, which forensic analysis by the government chemist confirmed was methamphetamine with a purity level of 98 per cent. Interpol coordinated operational support from the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), which deployed two officials to assist with the search operations and communication with the crew.
The prosecution is led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi, Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Ndiema, and Prosecution Counsel Henrietta Mburu. The destruction of the methamphetamine haul serves as a significant step in the fight against drug trafficking in the region, with the Kenyan government demonstrating its commitment to combating the menace.
Key points
- The Sh8.2 billion methamphetamine haul was seized in the Indian Ocean and is valued at approximately Sh8.2 billion.
- Six Iranian nationals have a case to answer for trafficking the substance.
- The destruction of the haul aims to send a strong message to drug traffickers operating in the region.
