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Kenyan authorities intercepted a drug-laden vessel in the Indian Ocean on Saturday evening, arresting six Iranian nationals and seizing methamphetamine worth approximately $63.4 million in one of the country's largest maritime drug busts.
The Kenya Navy spotted the suspicious boat during a routine patrol off Mombasa, a major port city on Kenya's southeastern coast, and escorted it to shore under armed guard, security officials said.
Specialized investigators discovered 769 packages of crystalline methamphetamine hidden aboard the vessel, according to a statement from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. The agency valued the narcotics at 8.2 billion Kenyan shillings.
"Investigations are underway to determine the source and intended destination of 769 packages containing a crystalline substance, identified as methamphetamine," the DCI statement said. "The seized narcotics have an estimated street value of Ksh 8.2 billion (about $63.4 million)."
Preliminary investigations suggest the shipment may be linked to a broader transnational smuggling network that uses Indian Ocean routes to reach East African ports, where drugs are then transported to other markets, officials said.
The six suspects remain in custody in Mombasa as anti-narcotics officers conduct interrogations and forensic analysis of the seized cargo, authorities said.
East Africa has increasingly become a transit point for drug trafficking operations, with cartels exploiting the region's lengthy coastlines and busy shipping lanes to move narcotics between Asia, the Middle East and other destinations.
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