Kenya’s intensified crackdown on narcotics has scored a major breakthrough after six Iranian nationals pleaded guilty to trafficking illegal methamphetamine worth Ksh 8.2 billion on the high seas, as eight Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers in a separate case were arraigned in Mombasa over Sh192 million meth trafficking case.
The six Iranians, namely Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay pleaded guilty before Chief Magistrate Antony Mwicigi at the Shanzu Law Courts.
They were admitted to trafficking 1,036 kilograms of methamphetamine between October 17th and 20th 2025, at approximately 350 nautical miles east of the port of Mombasa.
Prosecutors informed the court that the narcotics were concealed aboard a stateless vessel named Mashaallah, a common strategy used by transnational criminal networks to evade detection and jurisdiction.
The accused were apprehended on October 25, 2025, following a series of extensive investigations, and were then charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, as amended in 2022.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) sought for two weeks to organize and present the facts, requesting the proceedings to be held on 30th January 2026, at the Kenya Navy base in Mtongwe, where the seized vessel and bulky drug exhibits are being held.
Cjief Magistrate Mwicigi ruled that they be remanded at Shimo La Tewa Prison pending the hearing.
This comes barely a few days after eight KDF soldiers were also arraigned before Senior Principal Magistrate Gladys Olimo at the Mombasa Law Courts and charged with trafficking narcotic drugs valued at more than Sh 192 million.
However, the suspects, Duke Nyamwaya Nyarige, Juma Mwinyifaki Juma, Michael Peter Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad Jara, Abdirahman Abdi Kuno and Peter Kipng’etich Tonui denied the charges.
According to the prosecution, it is alleged that the soldiers formed part of an organized and coordinated drug trafficking syndicate, with varying quantities of methamphetamine recovered from residential premises.
Individual charges ranged from trafficking small consignments to conspiracy involving more than 14 kilograms of meth.
The ODPP opposed their bond application citing the seriousness of the offence, the risk of witness interference and the need to protect ongoing investigations.
The court later released the KDF soldiers on a Ksh5 million bond each. They were also alternatively granted an option of Sh3 million cash bail each with two contact persons.
