Mombasa, Kenya, Oct’ 26, 2025– Multi agency team is pursuing the destination and network behind a massive drug consignment worth Ksh.8.2 billion that was intercepted in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, in what authorities describe as one of East Africa’s biggest narcotics busts in years.
The team led by the Kenya Navy seized the vessel some 630 kilometres east of Mombasa, arresting six Iranian nationals found on board. The boat was later escorted to the Port of Mombasa, where tests confirmed the cargo to be methamphetamine.
Confirming the operation, DCI Director Mohammed Amin and Kenya Navy Deputy Commander Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa said the interception followed close cooperation between Kenya’s security agencies and regional and international partners monitoring suspicious maritime activity in the western Indian Ocean.
“Kenya Navy was able to intercept this suspicious vessel about 630 km east of Mombasa and we have been able to conduct this operation seamlessly and arrest it before escorting it to the port of Mombasa,” said Brigadier Kiswaa.
After obtaining a court order, investigators conducted a detailed search of the vessel, recovering 769 packages of crystalline substances weighing 124,253 kilograms, which tested positive for methamphetamine.
“The street value of the consignment is estimated at Ksh.8.2 billion, equivalent to USD 63 million,” said DCI Director Amin, adding that the next phase of investigations will focus on the drugs’ origin and intended destination.
“It is too early for me to say the destination was point A or B; it is still under investigation. But certainly, it was destined somewhere in this region,” he said, noting that the vessel was stateless but crewed by six Iranian nationals.
The suspects are expected to appear in court on Monday as detectives intensify efforts to dismantle the wider trafficking network.
This seizure comes barely two weeks after four suspects linked to an international drug syndicate were arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The case is set for mention on October 29.
This seizure really underscores the ongoing fight against illegal drugs in the country. It’s a critical moment for law enforcement to track down the networks involved and hopefully make a real dent in these operations.