Police officers on Wednesday, May 24, seized 23 pieces of ivory valued at Ksh11 million in Laikipia county and arrested one suspect.
County Police Commander Nyoike confirmed the seizure stating that the tusks were on transit from Churo, Baringo county to Mahiga in Laikipia County.
According to police, the cache of elephant tusks weighed 113.75 kilograms.
Nyoike explained that police intercepted the vehicle that was transporting the tusks at Mahiga area after a tip off from members of the public.
The suspect who is a prominent businessman at Sipili Township is being held at Rumuruti police station as police launch investigations into the matter.
“Currently there have been no cases of poaching in the county, but we will liaise with security officers to intensify investigations to get more information about cases of poaching in the country,” Nyoike explained.
At the same time the police commander explained that it was unfortunate that poachers killed 12 elephants for extracting the tusks.
The suspect was ferrying the consignment concealed inside maize sacks and was preparing to secretly hand them over to a buyer when he was intercepted and apprehended.
Poaching remains a menace in Kenya. In August 2018, police arrested poaching suspects in Marereni, Kilifi County after they were found in possession of eight elephant tusks and leopard skins.
Area police boss John Kilokwe confirmed the incident, adding that the three were arrested after getting reports from area residents.
July 29, 2020, Kenyan authorities arrested a man wanted in the United States for allegedly conspiring to sell 10 tonnes of elephant ivory and more than 181kg.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigation stated that officers arrested, the suspect, a Kenyan national who had been flagged as a “wanted person” in the US for the offences.
