Six Iranian nationals to remain in custody over Sh8bn drug haul

Six Iranian nationals arrested in connection with a multibillion-shilling drug seizure in the Indian Ocean will remain in custody until Tuesday, following an order by the Shanzu Law Courts.

The suspects, Jasem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Imran Baloch, Hassan Baloch, Rahim Baksh, and Imtiyaz Daryayi, were arraigned on Monday accused of trafficking narcotic drugs with an estimated street value of Sh8 billion.

They were arrested on October 24, 2025, after a multi-agency operation led by the Kenya Navy intercepted a stateless vessel off the coast of Mombasa. The officers seized 769 packages of crystalline substances suspected to be methamphetamine, weighing 1,035.986 kilogrammes.

During the court session, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requested additional time to verify the credentials of the court interpreter and to appoint an independent one to ensure a fair hearing.

The prosecution also sought the suspects’ continued detention for 30 days to allow investigators to conclude inquiries.

The six face charges under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994, which carries a possible life sentence upon conviction.

The court directed that the suspects be held at the Port Police Station pending further directions on Tuesday.

The arrest, one of the largest drug seizures in Kenya’s history, followed intelligence shared by the Kenya Navy about a suspicious ‘dark vessel’ operating without identification signals in Kenyan waters.