A multi-agency security team led by the Kenya Navy has seized a massive consignment of synthetic methamphetamine worth Sh8.2 billion in a dramatic high seas operation off the Kenyan Coast. The operation, code-named Operation Bahari Safi, also led to the arrest of six Iranian nationals who were aboard the stateless vessel Mashallah.
According to Kenya Navy Deputy Commander Brigadier Sankale Kisua, the intelligence-led operation took four days and culminated in the interception of the suspicious vessel about 630 kilometers east of Mombasa. The ship was later escorted to the Mombasa port for inspection.
“Upon a thorough search, our team discovered 1,024 kilograms (1.24 tonnes) of synthetic methamphetamine packed in sacks,” Brigadier Kisua revealed during a press briefing at the port on Saturday evening. He hailed the successful raid as a major victory in Kenya’s fight against international drug trafficking.
The operation was conducted in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Coast Guard Service, and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada). DCI Director Mohammed Amin confirmed that the vessel, also known by the alias Igol, had long been on the radar of international agencies for suspected involvement in narcotics smuggling across the Western Indian Ocean.
Brigadier Kisua noted that the success of the operation was made possible through cooperation with regional and international partners who provided critical intelligence on the vessel’s movements.
The six Iranian suspects are currently in custody and are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday after undergoing processing. Investigations are ongoing to determine both the source and intended destination of the illicit consignment.
Authorities have lauded the operation as one of Kenya’s most significant maritime drug seizures, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to curbing transnational organized crime and protecting its territorial waters from illegal activities.
