In a dramatic high-seas operation, a multi-agency security team has intercepted a suspicious vessel in the Indian Ocean, seizing a colossal shipment of methamphetamine worth a staggering Ksh. 8.2 billion (approximately USD 63 million) and arresting six Iranian nationals on board.
The daring bust, one of the largest of its kind in East Africa for years, was triggered by a tip-off from international partners. The Kenya Navy was dispatched to track the vessel, which had been making suspicious rounds in the western Indian Ocean.
In a stunning display of coordination, the Kenya Navy successfully intercepted the boat an astounding 630 kilometres east of Mombasa. “We were able to conduct this operation seamlessly and we were able to arrest it and escort it to the port of Mombasa,” confirmed Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa, Deputy Commander of the Kenya Navy.
Once docked in Mombasa, detectives obtained court orders to search the vessel. What they found was staggering. Packed in hundreds of sacks were 769 packages of a crystalline substance.
“We were able to discover 769 packages of crystalline substance that was weighing 124,253 kilograms of what came out to be methamphetamine,” revealed Mohammed Amin, Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). “The street value of the consignment is estimated to be Ksh.8.2 billion, equivalent to USD 63 million.”
The investigation is now shifting into a higher gear, focusing on two critical questions: where did the drugs come from, and where were they going?
While the vessel itself is described as “stateless,” the presence of the six Iranian crew members provides a significant clue to the origin. Regarding the destination, authorities believe the massive haul was destined for markets within the East African region.
“It is too early for me to say the destination was point A or B, it is still under investigations. But certainly, it was destined somewhere in this region,” stated Amin.
The six suspects are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday as police intensify efforts to dismantle the wider drug trafficking network connected to this seizure.
This monumental drug bust comes just two weeks after four suspects linked to an international drug syndicate were arrested for allegedly using the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to smuggle cocaine, signaling a fierce and ongoing crackdown on narcotics trafficking in the region.
