The Shanzu Magistrate’s Court has approved a request by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to detain six Iranian nationals for 30 days as investigations continue into the trafficking of narcotic drugs valued at more than Sh8 billion.
Chief Magistrate Antony Muchigi granted the application on Monday, directing that the suspects remain in custody at the Port Police Station while detectives carry out further investigations.
In his ruling, the magistrate also instructed the investigative team to send the recovered substances to the Government Chemist for testing to verify their composition. The suspects’ mobile phones will also be subjected to forensic analysis at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
According to information presented in court, the six men were arrested on October 24, 2025, after a Kenya Navy operation intercepted a dark vessel at the Kilindini Port.
“A total of 769 packages containing crystalline substances suspected to be synthetic narcotic drugs were recovered, weighing 1,035.986 kilograms,” the court was told.
Investigators said the six are being probed for trafficking in narcotic drugs, an offence under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994.
The prosecution described the case as serious and complex, noting that it involves cross-border criminal networks that pose a threat to both national and regional security.
“The seriousness of the offence and the need for thorough investigations to safeguard national security and ensure accountability in transnational organized crime cannot be overstated,” the prosecution said.
The DPP’s office further argued that the seizure represents a major public safety concern and underscores the importance of cooperation among law enforcement agencies to dismantle global drug trafficking syndicates.
The magistrate’s decision now gives investigators a month to complete critical forensic examinations, collect intelligence, and track potential accomplices before the case returns to court.
The matter will be mentioned again on November 14, 2025, as authorities continue probing what has been described as one of Kenya’s largest drug trafficking cases in recent years.
