Kenyan authorities have seized more than one tonne of methamphetamine in a major Indian Ocean drug bust carried out with support from INTERPOL. Six suspects were arrested during the high-seas operation.
The interception took place on October 21, when the Kenyan Navy stopped a suspicious dhow about 340 nautical miles east of Mombasa.
The action followed intelligence shared by the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell in Bahrain and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles.
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The vessel was escorted to Mombasa three days later, where a multi-agency command centre chaired by the Deputy Commander of the Kenyan Navy coordinated the search and evidence collection under INTERPOL oversight.
Authorities discovered 769 packets of crystal meth weighing 1,024 kilograms, with a purity level of 98%.
The drugs, valued at about KES 8 billion (USD 63 million), represent one of Kenya’s largest-ever narcotics seizures.
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The six crew members are now in custody and face drug trafficking charges.
Kenya’s Anti-Narcotics Unit has taken over the investigation as efforts continue to trace the source and destination of the shipment.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
