Kenya busts $27-million crystal meth haul

Kenyan authorities have seized 454 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth $27 million (about Dh99 million) in a multi-agency operation, the police said Monday.

Kenya has long served as a transit route for narcotics because of its strategic location next to the Indian Ocean, and in recent years has stepped up efforts to combat drug trafficking.

Displaying the seized drugs to journalists, Kenya's Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin described the seizure as an "operational breakthrough".

The raid took place on Saturday along the Kenyan coast following a tip-off from Tanzanian authorities, who had arrested a suspect in a separate drug bust.

A total of three suspects, two Tanzanians and a Ugandan, were arrested during the operation.

"This is a significant operational achievement... It underscores the importance of intelligence-led investigations, cross border cooperation and sustained pressure on trafficking networks," Amin said.

The seizure comes a year after the east African nation confiscated 1,036 kilograms of methamphetamine in what was then the largest drug haul in its history.

"Kenya will not be allowed to serve as a transit route, a destination market or a safe haven for drug traffickers," Amin said.

The prosecution told the court the three suspects were a "flight risk" and secured a 15-day detention order.

Between January and October, Kenya arrested 1,631 people in connection with narcotics offences and seized drugs worth millions of dollars.