A high-stakes international operation has led to the arrest of six Iranian nationals and the seizure of methamphetamine worth more than Ksh8 billion ($63 million) off the coast of Mombasa. The successful sting, conducted on October 21, 2025, was the result of coordinated intelligence sharing and cooperation between Kenyan, regional, and international agencies.
The operation was triggered after actionable intelligence was shared between the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell (RNIFC) in Bahrain and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the Kenya Navy intercepted a dhow suspected of ferrying illicit drugs near Mombasa’s coastline.
INTERPOL played a central role in the mission, overseeing the search operations and ensuring strict adherence to crime scene management protocols crucial for future judicial proceedings. Two officers from the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) also joined the mission, facilitating communication with the crew and assisting in the search.
The collaboration received substantial backing from the US government, with INTERPOL acknowledging support from the Trump administration in its official statement released on October 28.
Once the dhow was seized, a multi-agency coordination team chaired by the Kenya Navy Deputy Commander was established to oversee the operation. The suspects were arrested on October 24 at the Kilindini Port in a joint effort involving the DCI, Directorate of Immigration Services, Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Coast Guard Service, NACADA, and Kenya Ports Authority.
Following their arrest, the six suspects were arraigned in court on October 28, where a magistrate ordered they be detained for 30 days pending investigations. The court also directed that the seized substances be analyzed by the Government Chemist and that the suspects’ mobile phones undergo forensic examination at DCI headquarters.
The successful operation highlights the growing strength of Kenya’s maritime security efforts and the importance of global collaboration in the fight against transnational drug trafficking.
