At least 13 heads of suspected stolen cattle were recovered Monday at the Kibinyanchwa area in Masaba South in Kisii following a tip-off from the residents.
Philip Basweti, senior chief Masaba location said eight suspects were also taken in for questioning.
"Most of those arrested were from homes where the animals had been sold out to. The primary suspects are already on the run," Basweti told journalists Monday afternoon in Kiamokama town.
The suspects were taken to Nyangusu police post as the manhunt for the key suspects began.
The key masterminds, he said, were known hard-core criminals.
"Some of those had been arrested, jailed and even later released only to relapse into the same vice," he said.
Basweti said he had received information about the suspicious sale of the cattle in his area of jurisdiction and the neighbouring Mochengo in Nyamache, Bobasi, on Saturday before planning the raid which culminated in the arrests.
Among the suspects were three women and five men.
At least one cow remained unaccounted for, the administrator told journalists.
James Gesuka, a local politician asked security agencies to upscale surveillance to contain elements bent on perpetuating cattle rustling in the region.
