2 kg heroin bust in Kenya - One Seychellois and four Kenyan nationals arrested

File Photo: Kilifi harbour. According to an article published Kenya’s ‘The Standard’, two kilograms of heroin, were found in a vehicle in Kilifi, that has lead to the arrest of one Seychellois and four Kenyan nationals. (Wikipedia) Photo License: (CC BY-SA 3.0)

(Seychelles News Agency) - A Seychellois national is among five people that have been arrested in Kenya in connection with a drug seizure. He was arrested on Sunday along with four Kenyan nationals.

According to an article published Kenya’s online version of ‘The Standard’, the drugs, two kilograms of heroin, were found in a vehicle in Kilifi, a resort town found on Kenya’s coast.

It also reports that the Kenyan anti-narcotics police have seized a luxury yacht, the ‘Baby Iris’, after it was linked to the drug seizure. The Seychellois national was the skipper of the yacht.

The yacht was towed from Kilifi to the Mombasa Port on Sunday.

''The car which police had trailed following a tipoff from members of the public was found with the drugs, which were [the drugs] expected to be taken on board the yacht, which was anchored at the Kilifi Boat Yard,'' the Regional Police Chief for the Kenyan coast is quoted as saying to Kenyan journalists.

"We are still searching the yacht and will give you details if we make any discoveries," he said adding that the vessel most likely sailed into Kilifi Creek from Seychelles after making a call in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

"It has come here many times from Seychelles through Dar-es-Salaam," adds Kitur.

The Regional Police Chief for the Kenyan coast has told SNA that all five suspects including the Seychellois national “have been remanded in custody until April 23 when they are expected to be charged with the offence of carrying 2 kilograms of heroin.”

According to 'The Standard' the yacht ‘Baby Iris’ is said to be registered in Singapore and is owned by a British national.

According to the Kenyan media, the drugs seized have a street value of 6 million Kenyan shillings which is equivalent to a little over $64 thousand.

When contacted by SNA [at around 4pm local time], the Seychelles National Drugs Enforcement Agency, NDEA said they had not yet received any formal notification of the incident.

In its 8pm news bulletin aired this evening the national television, the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) said the NDEA has confirmed that a Seychellois man was being questioned and detained in Kenya in connection with a drug seizure.

According to SBC, the anti-narcotics agency said the man is aged 48 years old and is from the southern part of the Seychelles main island of Mahe.

Updated at 8.35pm