A multi-agency security team in Nyahururu has arrested two suspects caught transporting sandalwood valued at approximately Sh5 million.
The arrest is the latest crackdown on illegal trade in protected natural resources.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the operation was conducted along the Nyahururu–Rumuruti road after officers received credible intelligence on the suspicious movement of the rare wood.
“Upon inspection, authorities discovered the vehicle was loaded with approximately 532 kilogrammes of sandalwood,” the DCI said in a statement on Sunday.
“The driver along with his accomplice were arrested on the spot. They, along with the confiscated sandalwood, have been escorted to the Nyahururu Police Station, where they are currently undergoing processing pending arraignment.”
The seized vehicle and the sandalwood are being held as exhibits as investigations continue.
DCI noted that the operation underscores the government’s ongoing commitment to combating environmental crimes and protecting Kenya’s endangered tree species.
Sandalwood is listed as a protected species under Kenyan law due to its high demand in the global perfume and traditional medicine industries.
Conservationists have repeatedly warned that uncontrolled harvesting has pushed the tree to the brink of extinction.
Kenya banned the harvesting and trade of sandalwood in 2007, and the species is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Despite this, illegal trafficking continues, often facilitated by organised criminal networks using bribery and high-end vehicles to evade security checks.
Authorities have vowed to intensify enforcement efforts across the country, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where sandalwood trafficking is most rampant.
“The government will continue to pursue and dismantle networks behind the illegal trade in sandalwood and other forest products,” a senior forestry official said, calling for community involvement in safeguarding natural resources.
The latest arrests come months after a similar crackdown in Samburu County on March 25, 2025, when authorities burned 1,069 kilogrammes of confiscated sandalwood worth Sh1.1 million.
The destruction, ordered by the Maralal Law Courts, was witnessed by local administration officials and conservation officers.
Senior Principal Magistrate Sitati Emba said the burning was necessary to prevent the seized wood from finding its way back into the black market, noting that samples were retained as evidence for the ongoing prosecution.
Environmental experts have praised recent enforcement actions but caution that long-term success requires stricter border controls, community sensitisation, and prosecution of high-level traffickers financing the illegal trade.
As the Nyahururu suspects await arraignment, authorities have reaffirmed their zero-tolerance stance on environmental crimes, warning that anyone found dealing in sandalwood or other banned forest products will face the full force of the law.
