Seven suspects were on Thursday arraigned before Mombasa Law Courts Senior Principal Magistrate Gladys Olimo for being in possession of 24 kilogrammes of methamphetamine valued at Ksh192 million ($1.5 million).

The consignment is believed to be part of a larger drug haul stolen from a multi-agency operation.

The stolen consignment is suspected to be a part of 1,024 kilogrammes of methamphetamine worth Ksh8.2 billion ($63.5 million) that was intercepted in October during a multi-agency sting on a stateless vessel in the Indian Ocean.

Methamphetamine, a potent synthetic stimulant produced in illegal laboratories, is often found in powder, tablet or crystal form and is known for inducing intense euphoria and heightened physical and mental activity.

The multi-agency operation involved officers from the Kenya Navy, Kenya Coast Guard Service, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Magistrate Olimo granted an application filed by the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) that allows investigators 10 working days to conduct forensic analysis, profiling and sampling of the narcotics.

The suspects will appear in court again on December 22, 2025. Prosecutors Yassin Mohamed and Brenda Oganda from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the matter is of significant public interest.

The accused are Duke Nyamwaya, Juma Mwinyifaki, Michael Kariuki, Elijah Mbogo, James Ekiru, Abdulrehman Salad, and Abdirahman Abdi Kuno. They were arrested on December 11, 2025, in a coordinated operation by ANU officers from the DCI headquarters and Mombasa Regional Office.

According to an affidavit sworn by investigating officer PC Isaac Njoroge, the team recovered a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine from the suspects’ homes and workplaces, including 24 kilogrammes of crystalline material packaged in white packets.

Police also seized 11 mobile phones of various brands – Redmi, Tecno, Itel, Samsung Galaxy, Vivo, and Oppo – which investigators say are crucial to tracing communication patterns, identifying accomplices and mapping the extent of the alleged trafficking network.

The court authorised the DCI to subject all seized electronic devices to cyber-forensic analysis.

The affidavit further states that the suspects’ digital footprints and communication records allegedly link them to a wider narcotics syndicate that is involved in methamphetamine trafficking and distribution.

Investigators argued that releasing the suspects could jeopardise the case through interference with witnesses, destruction of digital evidence or coordination with accomplices still at large.

The court ruled that the high value of the drugs, the technical nature of ongoing forensic procedures, and the potential flight risks justify the extended detention.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Sadik Hassan