By Michelle Ndaga
The Shanzu Magistrate’s Court has granted an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to detain six Iranian nationals for 30 days in connection with the trafficking of narcotic drugs valued at over Ksh. 8 billion.
Chief Magistrate Antony Muchigi, in his ruling, directed that the suspects be held at the Port Police Station pending completion of investigations.
The court also authorized investigators to forward the seized substances to the Government Chemist for analysis and to submit the suspects’ mobile phones for forensic examination at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
According to the investigating officer, the six suspects were arrested on October 24, 2025, aboard a dark vessel intercepted by the Kenya Navy at the Kilindini Port in Mombasa. A total of 769 packages containing crystalline substances suspected to be synthetic narcotic drugs were recovered, weighing approximately 1,035.986 kilograms.
The suspects are being investigated for trafficking in narcotic drugs, contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994.
The prosecution emphasized the gravity of the offence, citing its implications on national security and the need for comprehensive investigations into the transnational drug trafficking network.
The court scheduled the matter for mention on November 14, 2025, to review the progress of the ongoing investigations.
