In one of the largest drug interdictions in the nation’s history, Kenyan authorities have intercepted a staggering 1,024 kilograms of pure methamphetamine from an Iranian vessel in the Indian Ocean, with the government vowing to publicly burn the Ksh8 billion consignment in a dramatic statement against international narcotics syndicates.
The multi-agency security operation, which culminated on Saturday, October 25, 2025, was sparked by intelligence from regional and international partners alerting Kenyan agencies to a suspicious boat roaming the Western Indian Ocean.
“As you saw yesterday, our multi-agency team caught wind of substances which were being ferried by Iranians on our waters,” Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced during a church service in Kisumu County the following day.
The suspicious vessel was subsequently placed on radar, tracked, and impounded. Following the seizure, security agencies obtained a court order to inspect its contents, leading to the monumental discovery.
Six Suspects in Custody as Forensic Tests Confirm Purity
In a subsequent official statement, CS Murkomen confirmed that six Iranian nationals were arrested and are currently in police custody, pending a comprehensive investigation.
Initial forensic tests on the seized substance confirmed the worst fears of authorities: it was methamphetamine with a purity level of 98 per cent. The drugs, with an estimated street value of Ksh8 billion, represent a significant blow to a sophisticated criminal network targeting the Kenyan corridor.
A Coordinated Crackdown and a Fiery End
The successful bust is being hailed as a testament to enhanced collaboration between different Kenyan security agencies and international partners.
Following the nabbing of the consignment, Murkomen reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to curbing the flow of illicit substances. He revealed the state’s plan to publicly destroy the narcotics.
“The suspects will be taken to court, and very soon you will see us destroying those illicit substances because we have resolved as a nation to fight all kinds of vices destroying our people,” Murkomen declared, signaling a zero-tolerance policy.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin underscored the operational success, while CS Murkomen assured that the government would continue to collaborate with international allies to disrupt wider criminal networks behind the trafficking.
This historic seizure marks a renewed and aggressive crackdown by Kenya on foreign narcotic syndicates attempting to exploit its strategic waterways along the Indian Ocean, with the promised inferno of the Ksh8 billion haul serving as a stark warning to traffickers.
