Detectives are investigating the source of 2.5 kilos of methamphetamine, worth Sh20 million, which was intercepted and seized at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, bound for the Seychelles.
The drugs were intercepted at the airport’s cargo station after being sent by an unknown sender on Friday, according to the police.
Acting on intelligence, the team intercepted a shipment concealed in three African mosaic bags headed for Mahé in the Seychelles from Nairobi.
The police said that each of the bags was found to contain two packages of a clear crystalline substance wrapped in black polythene.
Tests confirmed that the substance was a narcotic.
No arrests were made at the time. The team said they are pursuing those who dispatched them.
There are concerns that more narcotics could be in the country and that couriers are trying to send them to markets abroad.
JKIA officials said they have put measures in place to address incidents where the airport is used for drug trafficking.
This seizure comes weeks after officials intercepted a similar consignment of drugs in the Indian Ocean, worth Sh8.2 billion.
Officials are still investigating the seizure amid revelations this came after monitoring of the movement of the consignment for more than six months.
The operation came after intelligence was shared between the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell (RNIFC) in Bahrain, and the Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) in Seychelles.
INTERPOL coordinated operational support from the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), which deployed two officials to help with search operations and communication with crew members.
The Shanzu Magistrate’s Court okayed an application by the prosecutors to detain six Iranian nationals arrested at the Kilindini Port in connection with the trafficking of narcotic drugs for 30 days. Chief Magistrate Antony Muchigi allowed the prosecution’s request and ordered that the suspects remain in custody at the Port Police Station pending further directions.
The court also authorised investigators to forward the seized substances to the Government Chemist for analysis to confirm their composition and to submit the suspects’ mobile phones for forensic examination at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.
In his submissions, the investigating officer stated that the suspects were apprehended on October 24, 2025, aboard a dark vessel intercepted by the Kenya Navy 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.
Further, the investigating officer noted that the suspects are being investigated for trafficking in narcotic drugs, contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994. Prosecution emphasised the seriousness of the offence and the need for thorough investigations to safeguard national security and ensure accountability in transnational organised crime.
