Nearly a month after a court ordered the destruction of methamphetamine worth Sh8.2 billion seized aboard the Iranian vessel MV Mashallah, the narcotics remain in storage after the State sought more time before the exercise is carried out.
The drugs were initially scheduled for destruction on June 11 at Bamburi Cement amid concerns over theft, corruption, security breaches and the possibility of the consignment being recovered by drug cartels.
However, before the exercise could take place, the State, through the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), filed a formal application seeking a variation of the destruction order and an extension of time.
The State has since proposed a new date for the destruction of the drugs, effectively delaying the process and raising questions over the continued storage of one of the country’s largest narcotics seizures despite concerns cited to justify its immediate destruction.
'Extensive planning' needed
Iranian suspects found in possession of substances suspected to be methamphetamine valued at Sh8.2 billion at the Mombasa Port on October 25, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
In an affidavit filed before the court, ANU officer Felix Orioki Okemwa said additional time was required to meet the numerous conditions set by the court and ensure strict compliance with narcotics disposal laws.
He said the destruction exercise involves an unusually large quantity of methamphetamine, approximately 1,036 kilogrammes, and requires extensive planning, coordination and logistical arrangements involving multiple State agencies.
Mr Okemwa told the court that following the destruction orders, ANU commenced consultations with stakeholders including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Kenya Navy, the National Environment Management Authority, the Asset Recovery Agency, the Government Chemist, Bamburi Cement and court officials.
“The destruction exercise concerns an exceptionally large quantity of methamphetamine and requires extensive planning, coordination and logistical arrangements in order to ensure full compliance with the orders of this court and the applicable law,” he stated.
According to the officer, subsequent operational assessments revealed that more time was needed to coordinate the participation and availability of all stakeholders required to attend the re-weighing and destruction.
Further, he said, additional time was required to finalise security arrangements for transportation of the drugs from the Kenya Navy storage facility to the designated destruction site.
“The exercise must also be comprehensively documented through written records, photographs and video recordings and conducted in strict compliance with narcotics laws and regulations governing the disposal of seized drugs. More time is required to meet these conditions,” he said.
Mr Okemwa maintained that the request for an extension of time was not intended to delay the proceedings but to facilitate a lawful, secure and transparent destruction process.
He assured the court that the narcotics remain securely stored at the Kenya Navy facility in Mtongwe and are protected against loss, interference, contamination, substitution or unauthorised access.
Iranian nationals, from left: Imtiyaz Daryayi, Imran Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Hassan Baloch, Nadeem Jadgal and Jaseem Darzadeh Nia when they appeared before Shanzu court on January 12, 2026.
Photo credit: Brian Ocharo | Nation Media Group
The destruction orders were issued by the Shanzu Law Courts on May 15 after the court agreed with the prosecution that the sheer volume and value of the narcotics posed a serious security risk.
The court ruled that continued storage of the methamphetamine, valued at Sh8.2 billion, exposed officers guarding the consignment to possible corruption, theft, substitution or disappearance of the exhibits.
The court further found that drug trafficking on the scale disclosed in the case transcended ordinary criminal conduct and was linked to transnational organised crime, maritime security concerns and regional stability.
The narcotics were to be transported under armed escort from the Kenya Navy base in Mtongwe, where they are currently stored, and continuously accounted for until final disposal.
The court further ordered that the entire process be documented through certificates, video recordings and photographs, with samples retained for purposes of the trial.
The six accused persons, Jasem Darzaen Nia, Nadeem Jadgai, Imran Baloch, Hassan Baloch, Rahim Baksh and Imtiyaz Daryayi, have denied a charge of trafficking in narcotic drugs.
The prosecution alleges that between October 11 and October 20, 2025, the six trafficked 1,036.044 kilogrammes of methamphetamine aboard MV Mashallah on the high sea, approximately 350 nautical miles east of the Port of Mombasa.
The prosecution said it was incurring substantial resources in guarding the consignment, which was being held at a facility that was not air conditioned, raising concerns about the long term preservation and integrity of the substance.
