NAIROBI, Kenya 

Six Iranian nationals on Friday withdrew earlier guilty pleas in a high-profile drug trafficking case involving methamphetamine valued at about $63.5 million, prompting prosecutors to reaffirm their intention to take the case to trial.

The suspects Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch, and Imtiyaz Daryay appeared before Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi and requested that the charge be read afresh, saying they had not fully understood it when they pleaded guilty about two weeks earlier.

After the charge was re-read, all six entered not-guilty pleas.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has charged the suspects with trafficking narcotic drugs under Kenya’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act. Prosecutors say the case centers on the seizure of 1,036.044 kilograms of methamphetamine found aboard an unregistered, stateless dark vessel named “Mashaallah.”

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence was committed between Oct. 17 and Oct. 20, 2025, on the high seas at coordinates approximately 350 nautical miles east of the Port of Mombasa.

Authorities say the size of the consignment indicates an organized transnational trafficking operation using maritime routes in the Indian Ocean.

Prosecutors opposed any bid to release the accused on bond, arguing that all six are foreign nationals with no known local residence or reliable contacts in Kenya, making them a high flight risk.

They added that releasing the suspects could jeopardize the case, given its scale and international dimensions.

The court agreed and denied bond, ordering the suspects to be remanded at Shimo La Tewa Prison in Mombasa pending the hearing and determination of the case.

The magistrate also directed that pro bono legal representation be provided at state expense to ensure the accused receive a fair trial.

The case is scheduled for pre-trial mention on Feb. 19, 2026, as investigations and trial preparations continue.