Kenyan security agencies intercepted a boat carrying methamphetamine worth over Ksh8 billion in the Indian Ocean off Mombasa on October 25, 2025, arresting six Iranian nationals. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the government's intention to publicly destroy the drugs during a church service in Kisumu the following day. The operation highlights a major crackdown on international drug syndicates targeting Kenyan waters.
On October 25, 2025, a joint team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard, and NACADA intercepted a suspicious boat approximately 630 kilometers east of Mombasa in the Western Indian Ocean. The vessel, flagged as stateless with no markings, was alerted to Kenyan authorities by regional and international partners monitoring suspicious maritime activity.
Following the interception, security agencies obtained a court order to inspect the boat's contents. The search uncovered 769 packages of methamphetamine, weighing 1,024 kilograms with 98 percent purity and an estimated street value of Ksh8 billion—though one official statement cited Ksh8.2 billion. Six Iranian nationals aboard were arrested and remain in custody pending arraignment in court.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin noted the ongoing investigation into the drugs' origin and destination, stating, "It may be too early for me to say that the destination was point A or B; it is still under investigation, but certainly it was destined anywhere in this region, and in terms of the source, the vessel was stateless and it had no flags."
The boat was escorted to Mombasa Port for further processing. On October 26, during a church service in Kisumu County, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen reiterated the government's commitment to combating illicit substances. He said, "As you saw yesterday, our multi-agency team caught wind of substances which were being ferried by Iranians on our waters. The suspects will be taken to court, and very soon you will see us destroying those illicit substances because we have resolved our nations to fight all kinds of vices destroying our people."
Murkomen described the seizure as one of the largest in Kenya's history and affirmed plans for a public destruction of the consignment to signal resolve against narcotic syndicates. He added that the government is enhancing maritime surveillance and international cooperation to disrupt broader criminal networks.