Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has overseen the destruction of more than one tonne of methamphetamine valued at approximately Sh8.2 billion at Bamburi Cement Factory in Mombasa.

The destruction of the narcotics on Thursday, September 24, 2026, followed a court process involving six Iranian nationals accused of trafficking the consignment seized in the Indian Ocean in October 2025.

The haul, weighing about 1,036 kilogrammes, is one of the major narcotics seizures recorded by Kenyan authorities. The exercise brought together senior security officials as the government stepped up its efforts to combat drug trafficking through Kenya’s coastal region and international waters.

The six accused persons are facing charges relating to the trafficking of 1,036.044 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, with the consignment estimated to have a street value of Sh8.2 billion. The case is being heard at the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa.

MURKOMEN LEADS DESTRUCTION

Murkomen arrived at Bamburi Cement Factory to preside over the destruction exercise, which was conducted under tight security.

Speaking before the destruction, the Interior CS said the narcotics threat remains a major concern and called for cooperation between government agencies, communities and members of the public.

Murkomen said Kenya is being used both as a market and a transit route for narcotics and stressed the need for stronger enforcement, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation measures.

He urged members of the public to report people suspected of participating in the drug trade, saying communities have an important role to play in protecting young people from substance abuse.

The CS also warned drug traffickers and those benefiting financially from the illegal trade that the government would pursue not only the narcotics but also assets linked to drug proceeds.

According to Murkomen, the government intends to combine enforcement with rehabilitation programmes as it seeks to address both drug trafficking and addiction.

He said the government is working towards establishing 164 drug rehabilitation facilities across the country, with several counties already expressing willingness to participate in the programme.

MORE THAN ONE TONNE SEIZED AT SEA

The narcotics were intercepted following a multi-agency operation in the Indian Ocean in October 2025.

Evidence presented in court indicated that Kenyan authorities received intelligence concerning suspicious vessels operating in the Indian Ocean. The Kenya Navy, working with other security agencies and international partners, tracked one of the vessels before intercepting it several hundred nautical miles off the Kenyan coast.

A search of the vessel resulted in the recovery of hundreds of packets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

According to evidence presented during the trial, 769 packets were recovered from several compartments of the vessel. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine.

The vessel was later escorted to Mombasa, where the suspects and the seized consignment were handed over to Kenyan authorities for further investigations and prosecution.

The operation involved several agencies, including the Kenya Navy and other national security bodies, with international partners also providing intelligence and operational support.

SIX IRANIAN NATIONALS FACE TRIAL

The destruction comes as the criminal case against six Iranian nationals continues at the Shanzu Law Courts.

The accused are Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay.

They are charged with trafficking narcotic drugs contrary to Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act.

The prosecution alleges that the suspects were involved in transporting the methamphetamine aboard a vessel described in court as unregistered and stateless.

The alleged offence is said to have occurred between October 17 and October 20, 2025, in international waters.

The prosecution presented 12 witnesses during its case before the court ruled that the six accused persons had a case to answer. They were subsequently placed on their defence under Section 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The destruction of the drugs therefore comes while the criminal proceedings remain ongoing.

Authorities had earlier told the court that destroying the narcotics was necessary to safeguard the exhibits and prevent the risks associated with storing such a large quantity of dangerous substances.

COURT PROCESS PRECEDED DESTRUCTION

Before the destruction exercise, the seized substance underwent further verification as part of the court process.

Reports from Mombasa indicated that preliminary tests were conducted on the consignment. The substance reacted to chemical reagents used to verify its identity as part of the proceedings.

The court proceedings were held amid tight security, with senior officers from Kenya’s security agencies converging at the Bamburi facility.

The exercise involved officials from the security and justice sectors as authorities ensured that the court-sanctioned destruction followed the required procedures.

The presence of senior security officials highlighted the significance of the consignment and the wider government campaign against narcotics trafficking.

COAST REGION A KEY FOCUS

The latest operation has also renewed attention on the Coast region as a major entry and transit point for illicit drugs.

Mombasa’s location along the Indian Ocean makes it an important international trade hub, but authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about attempts by criminal networks to exploit maritime routes for illegal activities.

Murkomen said the government would continue strengthening intelligence gathering and cooperation between security agencies to disrupt narcotics networks.

He also warned government officials against working with drug traffickers, saying officers found facilitating the illegal trade would face disciplinary and criminal action.

According to the Interior CS, the government’s approach will not only focus on intercepting narcotics but also on targeting the financial networks and assets associated with the illegal trade.

GOVERNMENT WARNS DRUG TRAFFICKERS

The destruction of the Sh8.2 billion consignment is expected to reinforce the government’s warning to international drug trafficking networks operating along the Kenyan coast and the wider region.

Authorities have emphasized that Kenya will continue working with regional and international partners to track suspicious maritime activities and disrupt transnational criminal networks.

The seizure itself involved intelligence-sharing and cooperation between different agencies, demonstrating the role of international coordination in tackling maritime narcotics trafficking.

The case has also attracted attention because of the scale of the consignment and the international nature of the alleged trafficking operation.

The government says such operations are necessary to prevent Kenya from being used as a transit point for drugs destined for other markets.

FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION

While the destruction of the narcotics represents an enforcement measure, Murkomen has stressed that the government’s response must go beyond arrests and seizures.

The Interior CS said prevention, treatment and rehabilitation must form part of the national strategy against substance abuse.

He urged Kenyans to take responsibility for protecting young people from the effects of drugs and encouraged communities to work closely with security agencies.

Murkomen said the government would pursue traffickers while also supporting people affected by addiction.

The government’s planned expansion of rehabilitation facilities is part of that broader approach, aimed at addressing substance abuse from both the supply and demand sides.

A MAJOR SECURITY OPERATION

The Sh8.2 billion methamphetamine case has remained one of the most closely watched narcotics cases in Kenya since the seizure in 2025.

The operation demonstrated the role of maritime security agencies in combating transnational crime, while the subsequent court proceedings have tested Kenya’s legal framework in dealing with narcotics seized on the high seas.

The prosecution has maintained that the evidence presented establishes a case against the six accused persons, while the defence continues to contest aspects of the prosecution’s evidence.

The six suspects remain subject to the ongoing court process, and the destruction of the narcotics does not determine the outcome of the criminal case.

As the legal proceedings continue, the government says the destruction has eliminated the immediate security and storage risks associated with keeping more than one tonne of methamphetamine.

For authorities, the exercise also sends a wider message to drug trafficking networks that maritime routes around Kenya remain under surveillance.

The government has pledged to strengthen cooperation among security agencies, improve intelligence gathering and pursue those involved in the narcotics trade.

The destruction at Bamburi Cement Factory thus marks another stage in the long-running Sh8.2 billion methamphetamine case, even as the six accused persons continue to defend themselves before the Shanzu Law Courts.

Kenyan authorities say the fight against narcotics will require sustained enforcement, international cooperation, community involvement and stronger rehabilitation programmes to address the wider impact of drug abuse.

For now, the more than one-tonne consignment at the centre of the case has been destroyed, bringing an end to the physical custody of one of the largest methamphetamine hauls seized by Kenyan authorities, while the legal case against the six accused continues.