Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned drug traffickers and public officials accused of facilitating the illicit trade that they will face prosecution and asset forfeiture.
Murkomen spoke on Thursday during the destruction of narcotics worth sh8.2 billion at Bamburi Cement Factory in Mombasa.
More than 1,000 kilogrammes of methamphetamine seized in the Indian Ocean last October were destroyed during the exercise.
The drugs were recovered by a multi-agency security team after officers intercepted a stateless dhow, identified as MV Mashallah, about 630 kilometres east of the Mombasa coast.
Murkomen said the government was shifting greater focus towards large-scale drug manufacturers, traffickers and networks facilitating the illicit trade.
“All assets used in or acquired through drug trafficking will be treated as proceeds of crime, promptly frozen, and forfeited to the State,” Murkomen said.
He also warned government officials against colluding with drug traffickers, saying those found facilitating the trade would face both disciplinary and criminal action.
“Any government official found colluding with drug traffickers will be dismissed immediately and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he said.
Murkomen said security agencies had arrested 3,331 people in connection with drug-related crimes following President William Ruto’s directive to intensify the fight against drugs and substance abuse.
The CS added that authorities had seized 675,505 litres of illicit alcohol, with 385,875 litres already destroyed.
He commended the National Government Administration Officers for working with the National Police Service and other security agencies in enforcement operations against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
Murkomen also warned against attacks targeting security officers involved in dismantling drug trafficking networks, saying the government would continue protecting officers engaged in combating organised crime.
He further acknowledged the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United States government and other international partners in strengthening Kenya’s anti-narcotics operations.
The government has also increased personnel and equipment for the Anti-Narcotics Unit and strengthened the legal and institutional framework for combating drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, six Iranian nationals accused of trafficking methamphetamine worth sh8.2 billion have been placed on their defence after a Shanzu court ruled that they have a case to answer.
Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay.
The six are accused of trafficking 1,036.044 kilogrammes of methamphetamine aboard the vessel Mashaallah, which the prosecution says was unregistered and stateless.