Kenya Navy seizes vessel carrying meth worth sh.8.2 billion, arrests six Iranians

A multi-agency security team led by the Kenya Navy has intercepted a vessel in the Indian Ocean carrying methamphetamine valued at more than Ksh.8.2 billion, arresting six Iranian nationals on board.

Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohammed Amin and Kenya Navy Deputy Commander Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa confirmed that the vessel was tracked approximately 630 kilometers east of Mombasa before being escorted to the port, where tests confirmed the seized substance was narcotics.

In what authorities describe as one of East Africa’s largest drug busts in recent years, the joint operation involved the Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard, and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

According to Brigadier Kiswaa, the interception followed intelligence shared by regional and international security partners who had flagged the boat as suspicious while it operated in the western Indian Ocean.

“Kenya Navy was able to intercept this vessel about 630 kilometers east of Mombasa. The operation was executed seamlessly, and we successfully escorted it to the port,” said Brigadier Kiswaa.

Upon docking, police obtained a court order to detain and search the vessel. Investigators discovered 769 packages of a crystalline substance weighing 124,253 kilograms, confirmed to be methamphetamine.

“The street value of the consignment is estimated at Ksh.8.2 billion, equivalent to about USD 63 million,” said DCI Director Mohammed Amin.

Amin added that investigations are ongoing to determine both the origin and the intended destination of the narcotics, which are believed to have been bound for markets within the East African region.

“It is too early to confirm the exact destination, but the drugs were certainly meant for this region. The vessel was stateless, and all six crew members are Iranian nationals,” he stated.

The suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday as detectives pursue additional leads and possible accomplices linked to the international drug trafficking network.

This seizure comes barely two weeks after four suspects were arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine through Nairobi. Their case is scheduled to be heard on October 29.

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