Two individuals were apprehended while engaged in the trafficking of elephant tusks weighing 14 kilograms during an operation in Imenti North, Meru County.
Authorities from the police and the Kenya Wildlife Service reported that the two suspects were captured along Njuri Ncheke Street, close to Post Bank in Meru Town.
The suspects were discovered with seven pieces of elephant tusks, which weighed approximately 14 kilograms and had an estimated value of Sh1.5 million.
This incident coincided with the arrest of another group of three traffickers, who were found with 48 kilograms of elephant tusks in Kiritiri village, Embu County.
The trio was apprehended by a team of KWS personnel who had received information regarding their search for a market for the tusks.
Officials assessed the value of the ivory at Sh4.8 million.
According to KWS officials and police, the tusks were concealed in two green gunny bags and were being transported along the Siakago-Kiritiri road when the arrests occurred on May 28.
Among the suspects was a woman, who was found with six pieces of ivory while riding a motorcycle, as reported by the police.
They have been detained in anticipation of their forthcoming arraignment.
Officials suspect that the tusks were sourced from poachers who had killed at least three elephants in nearby game reserves.
The suspects are expected to face charges for possessing wildlife trophies of endangered species, in violation of Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013.
Elephant tusks command a high price in the black market, as the increasing demand for ivory in the East continues to drive the illegal trade in elephant tusks, particularly from Africa.
The illicit ivory trade is primarily driven by demand in Asia and the Middle East, where elephant tusks and rhino horns are utilized to create ornaments and traditional medicines.
Officials indicate that, despite a prohibition on the international ivory trade, African elephants continue to be poached in significant numbers.
In an effort to combat this issue, Kenya has begun employing advanced surveillance technology, including drones, to monitor poachers and keep track of elephants and rhinos.
