Six Iranian nationals have pleaded guilty to trafficking over a tonne of methamphetamine valued at KSh 8.2 billion, in a major breakthrough for Kenya’s fight against international drug trafficking.
The accused namely Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch, and Imtiyaz Daryay, entered their guilty pleas before Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi at Shanzu Law Courts.
According to the prosecution, the offence took place between October 17 and 20, 2025, on the high seas, approximately 350 nautical miles east of the Port of Mombasa.
The narcotics were allegedly concealed aboard a stateless vessel named Mashaallah, a tactic commonly employed by transnational criminal networks to avoid detection and legal jurisdiction.
The six were arrested on October 25, 2025, following extensive investigations, and were formally arraigned in court on January 12, 2026.
The charges were brought under Section 4(a)(ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, 1994, as amended in 2022—a law that authorities say has strengthened Kenya’s legal arsenal against large-scale drug trafficking.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), representing the state, requested two weeks to organize and present the full case, proposing that further proceedings be held on January 30, 2026, at the Kenya Navy base in Mtongwe, where the seized vessel and narcotics are being held as exhibits.
The court was further asked to remand the accused at Shimo La Tewa Prison pending sentence.
