Six Iranians ordered to present defence in Ksh.8.2 billion meth trafficking trial

Shanzu Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the six accused persons, paving the way for them to be placed on their defence under Section 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Mwicigi noted the unusual nature and scale of the case, observing that the evidence presented before the court had originated from the high seas and involved a vessel allegedly carrying more than one tonne of methamphetamine.

"The court made the determination after the prosecution presented 12 witnesses and closed its case, with the magistrate finding that the evidence adduced was sufficient to require the accused persons to respond to the charges,” the ODPP notes.

The six, Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay, are charged with trafficking 1,036.044 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at approximately Sh8.2 billion.

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

According to the prosecution, the accused persons, jointly with others, conveyed the consignment aboard the vessel Mashaallah, which was allegedly unregistered and stateless.

The vessel was intercepted on the high seas while carrying the suspected narcotics. 

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

The prosecution concluded its case before the Shanzu Chief Magistrate’s Court after calling 12 witnesses in June this year, with the final testimony delivered by the investigating officer, Inspector Shadrack Kemei of the Anti-Narcotics Unit, who told the court that investigations began on October 19, 2025, after the Anti-Narcotics Unit received intelligence that the Kenya Navy had launched an operation to intercept a suspicious vessel suspected of transporting narcotic drugs.

“The following day, the Navy confirmed the interception of the vessel, identified as a ‘dark vessel’ for allegedly operating without an Automatic Identification System (AIS), before escorting it to Kenyan waters,” the ODPP said at the time.