A vessel suspected of narcotics trafficking was intercepted by the Kenya Navy and escorted to Mombasa. Multi-agency team including KCGS, DCI/ANU, KPA, NACADA, and international partners conducted a coordinated boarding, confirming about 1,000kgs of methamphetamine worth Ksh 8.2B.[Courtesy]
By Njoroge David
A Navy-led operation has intercepted a stateless vessel carrying methamphetamine worth Sh8.2 billion in the Indian Ocean, about 630 kilometres east of Mombasa.
The ship, which had been under watch for several days, was stopped on, October 23, during a regional crime sweep known as Operation Usalama Watch XI. Six Iranian nationals found on board were arrested and are expected to be charged in Mombasa on Monday.
Authorities said the vessel had no national registration or flag, a common sign of illegal activity at sea.
On board were 769 packets of crystal meth weighing 1,024 kilograms.
Tests confirmed the drug was 97 per cent pure, likely intended for markets in Europe or South Africa.
Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth or crystal meth, is a powerful and illegal stimulant that affects the central nervous system.
It is highly addictive and is often trafficked from Asia and the Middle East into Africa and Europe through maritime routes.
Operation Usalama Watch XI is a joint regional security operation led by Interpol and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO).
It targets cross-border crimes such as drug and human trafficking, arms smuggling, wildlife crime and maritime offences across 14 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique.
Kenya’s agencies, led by the Navy, have focused on stopping vessels suspected of smuggling drugs through the Indian Ocean.
Security officials said the latest interception is among the biggest methamphetamine hauls ever made in Kenya.
Officials noted that the country’s coastline and port network make it a key transit route for drugs moving from Asia and the Middle East to Africa and Europe.
