A week-long nationwide crackdown has left criminal networks
across the country reeling, following a coordinated multi-agency operation
spearheaded by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations’ National Central
Bureau (NCB-Nairobi) and the Operations Directorate.
Among the recoveries made were elephant tusks and fake U.S.
dollars, police said.
In a show of unity and precision, officers from the National
Police Service joined forces with multiple enforcement and state agencies,
leading to major seizures of narcotics, counterfeit goods, and several
high-profile arrests.
Codenamed “Usalama XI,” the operation formed part of a joint
regional initiative by the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation
Organization (EAPCCO) and the Southern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation
Organization (SARPCCO).
Its mission was to disrupt serious transnational crimes,
including motor vehicle theft, drug and human trafficking, wildlife crimes,
terrorism, mineral smuggling, illicit arms trade, and copper cable theft,
police said.
For instance, in Lang’ata, detectives from specialized DCI
units raided a residence on October 8, 2025, acting on intelligence that led to
the discovery of counterfeit U.S. currency valued at $31,700.
A suspect was arrested on-site and escorted to DCI
Headquarters for further processing.
At the Coast, drug traffickers suffered a major blow when a
joint team intercepted a truck en route from Mombasa to Nairobi.
Upon inspection at Mariakani Police Station, officers
uncovered nine and a half sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 568.85 kilograms,
with an estimated street value of Sh17 million.
The driver was arrested, and both the truck and narcotics
were seized as exhibits.
In Eldoret, detectives dismantled a digital piracy operation
linked to the illegal sale and installation of unauthorized internet streaming
and IPTV services.
A raid at the premises yielded several mobile phones,
promotional materials, and a control panel through which detectives
disconnected 64 unauthorized subscribers.
The suspect was processed by the relevant authorities ahead of
prosecution.
Meanwhile, in a separate wildlife trafficking operation, two
suspects were arrested on October 6, 2025, in the Shalom area along Mombasa
Road after being found in possession of five elephant tusks valued at
approximately Sh7.8 million.
They were processed at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
Headquarters before being booked at Lang’ata Police Station pending
arraignment.
Elephant tusks continue to attract a huge market despite
ongoing operations to contain the poaching menace.
Tusks fetch a fortune on the black market, with a surge in
demand for ivory in the East continuing to fuel the illicit trade, particularly
from Africa.
Officials say that despite the global ban on the
international ivory trade, African elephants are still being poached in large
numbers.
As part of efforts to stop the menace, Kenya has deployed
high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and
monitor elephant and rhino populations.
