The Shanzu Magistrate’s Court has granted police permission to detain six Iranian nationals for 30 days as investigations continue into the Ksh8.2 billion methamphetamine seizure off the coast of Mombasa.
Chief Magistrate Antony Mwicigi ruled in favour of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), allowing investigators to hold the suspects at the Port Police Station pending further directions. The court also directed that the seized substances be sent to the Government Chemist for analysis and ordered forensic examination of the suspects’ mobile phones at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
The ruling followed an adjournment of the case after questions arose over the credibility of an interpreter assigned to facilitate communication between the suspects and the court. The magistrate further ordered that the six foreigners receive medical attention at the State’s expense, setting November 14 as the mention date for an update on their welfare and the progress of investigations.
According to the investigating officer, the suspects are being probed for trafficking in narcotic drugs, an offense under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994.
The suspects were arrested after their vessel was intercepted on Saturday, October 26, about 630 kilometers east of Mombasa, by a multi-agency team comprising the DCI, Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard, and NACADA. Security agencies had been alerted by regional and international partners about a suspicious stateless boat operating in the Western Indian Ocean.
Following a court order, investigators inspected the vessel and seized 769 packages of methamphetamine valued at approximately Ksh8.2 billion. DCI Director Mohamed Amin stated that the destination of the drugs remains under investigation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has since announced that the government will publicly burn the seized drugs as a strong statement against illicit trafficking.
