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Two arrested, six pieces of Sh1.2m elephant tusks recovered in Samburu

Police and KWS personnel said the suspects were trying to sell the tusks when they were nabbed

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by CYRUS OMBATI

News08 December 2023 - 06:55

In Summary


  • The trophies were hidden in a sack when they were busted.
  • Police and KWS officials said they are investigating the source of the tusks.
STAR ILLUSTRATION

Two suspected poachers were Wednesday arrested and six pieces of elephant tusks recovered in an operation in Maralal, Samburu

Police and Kenya Wildlife Service personnel said the suspects were trying to sell the tusks when they were nabbed on December 6.

The trophies were hidden in a sack when they were busted.

Police and KWS officials said they are investigating the source of the tusks.

It is suspected the tusks came from killed elephants through poaching in the nearby Samburu parks.

It is the latest such incident in the area amid concerns of rising cases of poaching.

Police said the two will be charged with the offence of being in Possession of Wildlife Trophies of Endangered Species Contrary to Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013.

The recovery comes despite stringent measures in place to address the menace of poaching in the country and region.

In July, two herders accused of illegally possessing elephant tusks were given stringent bond terms of Sh1 million each after being charged.

They were accused of dealing in ivory and allegedly found with Sh2 million worth of elephant tusks by KWS detectives.

The two men were charged with dealing in wildlife trophies of an endangered species worth Sh2 million without a permit contrary to Section 92(2) of the Wildlife Conservation Act.

Elephant tusks fetch a fortune in the black market as a surge in demand for ivory in the East continues to fuel the illicit trade in elephant tusks, especially from Africa.

Officials say despite a 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 started using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and keep tabs on elephants and rhinos.

KWS and stakeholders have put in place mechanisms to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, particularly poaching.

These mechanisms include enhanced community education, interagency collaboration, and intensive intelligence-led operations, among others.


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