Six Iranians Plead Guilty to KSh8.2B Meth Trafficking in Kenya

Six Iranian nationals have pleaded guilty to charges linked to the trafficking of methamphetamine valued at about KSh8.2 billion, in a case connected to one of Kenya’s largest suspected drug seizures.

The accused entered the pleas on Monday before the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa. The court ordered that they be remanded at Shimo La Tewa GK Prison until 30 January, when prosecutors are expected to present the facts supporting the charges.

Investigators say the suspects were arrested late last year after security agencies intercepted a traditional dhow in the Indian Ocean carrying more than one tonne of methamphetamine. The vessel was stopped about 630 kilometres east of Mombasa and escorted to port following a joint operation involving the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Coast Guard Service and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA).

According to the DCI, the guilty pleas were recorded after the court concluded an earlier application seeking custodial orders. In a statement issued after the appearance, the agency said the case demonstrated Kenya’s resolve to tackle organised cross-border drug trafficking.

The interception followed intelligence shared by regional and international partners, who alerted Kenyan authorities to a suspicious vessel moving through the western Indian Ocean. DCI Director Mohamed Amin said the dhow was not flying any national flag, making it difficult to immediately determine its origin or destination. Officers later obtained a court order to search the vessel, leading to the discovery of the drugs.

Authorities have not yet established the intended destination of the consignment, but investigators believe the size of the shipment indicates the involvement of a well-organised criminal network operating across the region. Security agencies said investigations are continuing to identify financiers and other individuals involved in planning and logistics.