6 Iranians to face defence in Sh8.2bn Methamphetamine trafficking case

MOMBASA, Kenya—A Shanzu court has found six Iranian nationals with a case to answer over the alleged trafficking of more than one tonne of methamphetamine valued at about Sh8.2 billion.

Shanzu Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the six after presenting 12 witnesses, paving the way for the accused to begin their defence.

The six — Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay — were consequently placed on their defence under Section 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

They are charged with trafficking in narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.

The case stems from the interception of the vessel Mashaallah in the Indian Ocean in October 2025, after Kenyan security agencies acted on intelligence concerning a suspicious vessel operating in the western Indian Ocean.

The vessel was intercepted in international waters, about 630 kilometres east of Mombasa, in a joint operation involving the Kenya Navy, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya Coast Guard and the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

The prosecution alleges that the six, jointly with others not before the court, conveyed a consignment of 1,036.044 kilogrammes of methamphetamine aboard the vessel between October 17 and 20, 2025.

The vessel was allegedly unregistered and stateless when it was intercepted and later escorted to Mombasa, where authorities obtained court orders to conduct a search.

Investigators subsequently recovered hundreds of packages containing a crystalline substance which was subjected to forensic examination and identified as methamphetamine.

The seizure was described by security agencies as one of the significant methamphetamine interceptions in the region, with authorities estimating the consignment’s value at about Sh8.2 billion.

The prosecution has since closed its case after calling 12 witnesses, with the court finding that the evidence presented was sufficient to require the six accused persons to respond to the allegations.

Chief Magistrate Mwicigi also noted the unusual nature and scale of the proceedings, particularly given that the evidence relates to an alleged drug trafficking operation originating from international waters and involving more than one tonne of methamphetamine.

The latest ruling does not amount to a conviction. The six accused persons will now have an opportunity to challenge the prosecution evidence and present their defence before the Shanzu court.

The prosecution is being led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi, Principal Prosecution Counsel Alex Ndiema and Prosecution Counsel Henrietta Mburu.