In a successful maritime operation on October 21, Kenyan officials confiscated methamphetamine valued at an estimated $63 million aboard a flagless vessel.
The illegal drug is reported to weigh more than one tonne.
The operation also saw the nabbing of six suspects caught on the vessel, who are now facing drug trafficking charges.
Authorities discovered 769 packets totalling 1,024 kilograms of a crystal substance, according to a report by INTERPOL.
The Government Chemist’s forensic study verified that the drug was 98 percent pure methamphetamine.
The value of the seizure is estimated by Kenyan experts to be around KES8 billion ($63 million).
INTERPOL assists
Three days later, the ship was transported to Mombasa with INTERPOL’s assistance, where the deputy commander of the Kenyan Navy served as the chairman of a multi-agency coordination centre.
The centre is composed of the following national entities: Kenyan Coast Guard Service, Kenyan Maritime Authority, Kenya Ports Authority, Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, Port Health Services, Directorate of Criminal Investigations – Anti-Narcotics Unit/Sensitive Investigations Unit, Directorate of Immigration Services and National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
INTERPOL was instrumental in supervising search activities and guaranteeing strict crime scene management to assist future legal processes in its advisory and mentoring role.
Additionally, the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service provided operational support through INTERPOL, sending two officials to assist with search and crew communication.
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The interception
A dhow was intercepted by the Kenyan Navy on October 21, 2025, around 340 nautical miles east of the Mombasa coast.
The operation followed the exchange of intelligence between the Regional Coordination Operations Centre in Seychelles and the Regional Narcotics Interagency Fusion Cell in Bahrain.
Kenya’s Anti-Narcotics Unit is currently conducting the investigations.
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