Six Iranians face trial for Sh8.2 billion methamphetamine trafficking

A Shanzu court has ruled that six Iranian nationals must enter their defense in a massive drug trafficking case involving more than one tonne of methamphetamine. Shanzu Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi determined that the prosecution established a prima facie case after calling 12 witnesses and presenting evidence.

The accused—Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch, and Imtiyaz Daryay—are charged with trafficking 1,036.044 kilograms of methamphetamine. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) estimates the street value of the drugs at approximately Sh8.2 billion.

The shipment was allegedly intercepted on the high seas between October 17 and 20, 2025, aboard a vessel named Mashaallah, which prosecutors described as an unregistered and stateless ship. Investigators reported that the consignment may have been loaded at Pozm Port in Iran. During the search of the vessel, authorities recovered 769 packets of the white crystalline substance, along with five mobile phones and four SIM cards used in the operation.