KENYA NAVY INTERCEPTS A METH CONSIGNMENT WORTH SH8 BILLION 

Kenyan authorities have announced the seizure of narcotics consignment with an estimated street value of Sh8 billion (approximately USD 62 million). 

The operation, which unfolded approximately 630 kilometers east of the coastal city of Mombasa, targeted the MV Ighol, a stateless vessel identified through intelligence. A multi-agency team intercepted the ship, leading to the dramatic capture of its crew and cargo.

The operation was led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and executed with support from the Kenya Navy and the Kenya Coast Guard Service. They were backed by intelligence from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), with further operational support from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and the Government Chemist.

“This decisive intervention forms part of our contribution to global efforts to dismantle transnational organised crime networks, including narcotics trafficking, terrorism financing, and illicit financial flows,” the statement from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration read.

The seized contraband, weighing a total of 1,024 Kgs was confirmed through initial tests to be high-purity methamphetamine, with a purity level of 98 percent. The drugs are currently undergoing further forensic analysis and documentation to build a robust legal case.

Six Iranian nationals who were aboard the MV Ighol were arrested during the operation. They remain in custody and are undergoing interrogation. The authorities have confirmed that the suspects will be arraigned in court once preliminary investigations are concluded.

“We will work in collaboration with other international partners to trace and disrupt the wider criminal network associated with this seizure,” the government said.

Furthermore, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Kipchumba Murkomen, reiterated the government’s t commitment to strengthening border and maritime security. The administration is heightening its multi-agency coordination and surveillance systems to combat the production, movement, and financing of illicit substances.