By Andrew Kariuki
A Shanzu court has granted the Director of Public Prosecutions an additional 21 days to continue detaining six Iranian nationals at the centre of a high-value narcotics trafficking investigation involving methamphetamine worth Ksh8.2 billion.
When the matter came up for mention, prosecution persuaded the court that investigators are still pursuing crucial leads before forwarding the file to the DPP for further action.
The six; Jasem Darzaen Nia, Nadeem Jadgai, Imran Baloch, Hassan Baloch, Rahim Baksh and Imtiyaz Daryayi, were allegedly intercepted in the Indian Ocean with 769 packages of crystalline substances suspected to be methamphetamine, weighing 1,035.986 kilograms.
Court was told that investigators believe the suspects are linked to a highly organised transnational cartel that uses maritime routes to move synthetic drugs into the region.
Detectives from the Anti-Narcotics Unit reportedly recovered seven electronic devices, including a GPS tracker, alongside the seized shipment.
Prosecution said the devices are believed to contain intelligence on the origin of the cargo, intended trafficking routes and potential financiers behind the operation.
The court heard that releasing the suspects at this stage would jeopardise the multiagency, internationally coordinated investigation, which involves sensitive digital evidence and complex cross-border linkages.
The suspects have been in custody for three weeks following the maritime swoop that led to the recovery of the suspected narcotics.
In an earlier mention, the court authorised investigators to forward the seized substances to the Government Chemist for analysis and to submit the suspects’ mobile phones for forensic examination at the DCI headquarters.
The investigating officer noted that the six are under investigation for trafficking in narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994.
