Kenya destroys US$63 million meth haul intercepted at sea

MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) – Kenyan authorities on Thursday destroyed a massive haul of methamphetamine worth an estimated US$63 million, nearly a year after the drugs were intercepted in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mombasa.

The consignment, weighing 1,024 kilograms (about 2,257 pounds), was placed in a high-temperature kiln and destroyed as government officials watched.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen oversaw the destruction and warned drug traffickers that authorities would step up efforts to disrupt the illicit trade.

Murkomen said Kenya was being used both as a "transit hub" and a "market" for illegal drugs, and pledged tougher enforcement to prevent drug trafficking and substance abuse.

He said suspected traffickers would face prosecution and that authorities would pursue the seizure of property linked to the illegal trade.

The Kenyan Navy intercepted the consignment on October 25, 2025, about 630 kilometers (391 miles) off the coast of Mombasa in the Indian Ocean. The vessel was escorted to port under armed guard.

Six Iranian nationals arrested aboard the flagless vessel remain in court facing drug-trafficking charges.

Authorities described the seizure of more than a ton of methamphetamine as a major breakthrough in Kenya's fight against narcotics trafficking.

The interception comes as Kenya confronts growing concerns over synthetic drugs, particularly along the coast, where health and law-enforcement officials have reported increasing problems involving methamphetamine and heroin.

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