The Kenya Navy intercepted a vessel carrying methamphetamine worth an estimated Ksh 8.2 billion (USD 63 million). According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the operation was carried out in coordination with the National Police Service following a tip-off about a suspicious vessel navigating in Kenyan waters.
A search-and-seizure order was obtained on Friday, allowing officers to board the vessel for inspection.
In a statement issued on October 25, DCI Director Mohammed Amin said the team discovered 769 packages of crystalline substance weighing 124,253 kilograms, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.
“The Kenya Navy successfully intercepted a vessel of interest codenamed IGOR suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking,” the Deputy Commander Kenya Navy, Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa, who is the multi agency team leader said.
Kenya Navy Making the Arrest
“We were able to discover 769 packages of crystalline substance that was weighing 124,253 kilograms of what came out to be methamphetamine. The street value of the consignment is estimated to be Ksh 8.2 billion, equivalent to USD 63 million,” Amin said.
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Six foreign nationals, all Iranian, were arrested on board the ship, which authorities described as “stateless.”
The suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be arraigned in court in the coming days. The seized drugs have been secured as evidence pending further investigation.
Amin noted that investigators are now focusing on establishing the source of the narcotics and their intended destination.
“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. And in terms of the source, like I said, the vessel was stateless, but on board were six Iranian nationals,” he said.
Intensify Surveillance
The National Police Service (NPS) lauded the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and coordination with other agencies.
“The National Police Service commends the officers involved in the operation for their commitment and professionalism. NPS remains committed to working collaboratively with other agencies to combat drug trafficking,” read part of an official police statement.
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Authorities have vowed to intensify surveillance along the Indian Ocean coast and strengthen regional intelligence-sharing to dismantle networks facilitating the drug trade.
The seizure follows another incident two weeks ago, when four suspects were arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine via JKIA.
They remain in custody pending a court hearing on October 29.
Kenya has increasingly become a transit hub for international drug trafficking networks due to its strategic location along the Indian Ocean and access to key air and sea routes.
Narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine are often smuggled through the Port of Mombasa and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before being distributed to regional and international markets.
The country’s growing maritime trade and porous borders have made it a target for organized criminal groups seeking to exploit weak surveillance systems.
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