Kenyan authorities have seized 454 kilogrammes of suspected crystal methamphetamine valued at approximately $27 million in an intelligence-led operation targeting an international drug-trafficking network along the country’s coast.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the drugs were recovered in Kwale County following intelligence shared between Kenyan and Tanzanian security agencies.
The operation, conducted on Nov. 7, led to the arrest of three suspects: two Tanzanian nationals and a Ugandan woman. The suspects were arrested in Shirazi village and Ganja la Simba village in Kinondo, within Msambweni Sub-County.
Kenya’s Director of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin, described the seizure as a significant operational breakthrough, highlighting the role of intelligence gathering and cross-border cooperation in disrupting organised crime.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the consignment may have originated from Pakistan and was destined for markets in East and Southern Africa. Authorities said investigations were continuing to establish the full supply chain and identify other people involved.
The drugs were valued at approximately 3.6 billion Kenyan shillings, equivalent to about $27 million. Officers also seized two vehicles and a motorcycle believed to be connected to the suspected trafficking operation.
A court granted investigators 15 days to detain the three suspects while detectives pursue further inquiries. The prosecution had initially requested 21 days to complete the investigation.
Amin also clarified that the latest seizure was unrelated to the 1,036 kilogrammes of methamphetamine recovered from the vessel MV Mashala in the Indian Ocean last year. He said preliminary findings pointed to different countries of origin and separate trafficking networks. The earlier consignment was linked to Iran.
The latest operation comes amid intensified efforts by Kenyan security agencies to tackle narcotics trafficking. Between January and October 2026, authorities arrested 1,631 people in connection with drug-related offences.
The DCI said investigators were also working with the Asset Recovery Agency to trace assets, including cash, vehicles, property and businesses suspected to be linked to drug trafficking proceeds.
Amin warned that Kenya would not be allowed to become a transit corridor, destination market or safe haven for international drug traffickers.
The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations against the suspects have yet to be determined by a court.
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