Seized Sh8.2 billion drug haul to be destroyed-Murkomen

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced plans by the government to burn a major narcotics consignment seized in a coordinated multi-agency operation in the Indian Ocean.

The drug haul worth Ksh8 billion was one of the biggest interceptions of illegal drug substances in the country’s history, pointing to a renewed crackdown on foreign narcotic networks targeting Kenya.

A ship ferrying 1,024 kilograms of methamphetamine was put on radar by Kenyan security agencies after regional and international partners alerted them about a suspicious boat roaming in the Indian Ocean.

The operation was conducted jointly with the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), National Intelligence Service, the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Coast Guard, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol (NACADA) and other agencies followed intelligence shared by regional and international partners.

Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth, crystal meth, or ice, is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. The drug can lead to serious health problems, including addiction, severe dental decay, paranoia, hallucinations, and organ damage.

A gram of methamphetamine costs between 8,000 and 10,000 on the street market.

A multi-agency team inspecting the seized drugs in Mombasa

Six Iranian nationals are in custody and are assisting the police to unveil the people behind the drug haul.

investigation.

Speaking on Sunday, October 26, Murkomen reiterated the government's commitment to curbing illicit substances, as he stressed that the government was tightening its maritime surveillance and security coordination to avert similar incidents.

“We have resolved as a nation that we must fight drugs, illicit alcohol, and all kinds of things that are destroying the lives of our people,” said the CS during a church service in Kisumu.

But as the CS was talking tough, questions were being asked about who was behind the Ksh8.2 billion consignment and if organised networks facilitated the importation of deadly synthetic drugs that have the potential to devastate Kenya’s youth.

“The interception of the stateless vessel carrying Sh8.2 billion worth of methamphetamine in the Indian Ocean is a chilling reminder of how grave the drug menace is in the country. Coming from a region that knows all too well the consequences of drug abuse on our children, we demand to know what concrete measures are being taken by the government to put an end to this menace once and for all,” asked Nyali MP Mohammed Ali.