Six Iranian nationals withdrew guilty pleas on Friday in a Kenyan court, resetting a major methamphetamine trafficking case for trial.
Prosecutors said the drugs were worth about $63.5 million, underscoring the scale of the alleged international smuggling operation.
The suspects appeared before Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi in Nairobi and asked that the charge be read again.
They told the court they had not fully understood the charge when they pleaded guilty nearly two weeks earlier.
After the charge was re-read in open court, all six entered pleas of not guilty.
The accused are Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch, and Imtiyaz Daryay.
The Director of Public Prosecutions charged them under Kenya’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Act.
The case centres on the seizure of 1,036 kilograms of methamphetamine aboard a dark, stateless vessel named Mashaallah.
Prosecutors said the vessel was intercepted on the high seas, far beyond Kenya’s coastline in the Indian Ocean.
They alleged the offence occurred between Oct. 17 and Oct. 20, 2025, about 350 nautical miles east of Mombasa.
Authorities said the volume of drugs points to a well-organised transnational network using maritime trafficking routes.
In court, prosecutors strongly opposed granting bond to the six foreign nationals.
They argued the suspects have no fixed residence or reliable social ties within Kenya.
Prosecutors warned that release could increase the risk of flight and undermine the integrity of the case.
The court agreed with the prosecution and denied the application for bond.
Magistrate Mwicigi ordered the suspects to remain in custody at Shimo La Tewa Prison in Mombasa.
He also directed that the accused be provided with state-funded legal representation to safeguard a fair trial.
The courtroom moment marked a shift, turning early admissions into renewed legal confrontation.
The case is scheduled for a pre-trial mention on Feb. 19, 2026.
Investigations and trial preparations will continue as authorities pursue one of Kenya’s largest recent drug trafficking cases.
