At least five miners were arrested at a gold mine site that had been closed and mining activities banned there in Dabale, Moyale, Marsabit County.
The suspects were arrested Sunday evening by a team of police officers who were patrolling the Hilo Mining site.
They are all Ethiopians and include two women. Police said they also recovered four generators, a grinder, two drilling machines, a rope, a bucket and other excavation tools.
The group was detained at the Moyale police station ahead of arraignment with the offences of contravening the Public Order Act, illegal mining and being in Kenya illegally.
Last week, five other miners were arrested at a gold mining site in Merti, Isiolo county.
The team on special operations raided the Merti Gotu area where there are illegal gold mining activities where they said they recovered an AK47 rifle with five bullets.
This came days after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kiture Kindiki visited the area and ordered the closure of gold mining sites in Marsabit.
He also gazetted the areas as dangerous after seven people were killed in clashes over the control of the mining sites.
Four other people are admitted in hospital with injuries following skirmishes between gangs over the control of the sites.
Kindiki flew to Dabel Artisinal Mining Sites within Golbo Division of Marsabit County and announced measures to arrest the escalation of violence and other criminal activities in the area.
The area has been rife with armed criminals facilitating trade in narcotic drugs, while seven people including two aliens were killed this week in gang rivalries among the illegal artisan miners on site.
Cases of rape, defilement and gender-based violence have been booked, Kindiki said.
Kindiki said a special team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has taken over investigations to identify and apprehend the offenders.
He also said effective 0630 hours Thursday, March 14 2024, the Dabel Artisinal Mining Sites described in Gazette Notice No.3032 of even date, had been declared dangerous and disturbed and vacation orders issued for 30 days.
This meant the site had been closed.
“Pursuant to Section 8(1) of the Public Order Act, Cap 56 of the Laws of Kenya, and Section 106(1) of the National Police Service Act, no person may be found present in the areas specified in the Gazette Notice at any time without the written authority of the County Police Commander, Marsabit County,” he said.
As such, he added, the gazetted areas remain under the domination of national security agencies and no access to, or activity of any nature whatsoever is permitted in the said areas during the pendency of the orders herein.
