A police officer attached to the National Police Service Hospital in Mbagathi is among four people arrested in possession of a piece of rhinoceros horn in Nairobi. The arrests were made on October 29, during a multi-agency operation conducted along Kiambu Road in the Ridgeways area. The operation involved officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the National Police Service (NPS).
The four suspects were found in possession of a piece of rhinoceros horn weighing approximately 0.7kg, with an estimated street value of Sh1.5 million. The recovered wildlife trophy was seized and secured as an exhibit. The suspects were placed in custody and are being investigated for dealing in wildlife trophies contrary to Section 92(2) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act.
The operation was mounted following actionable intelligence, police said. It is illegal to have such a horn without proper permission. The arrest is the latest case of poaching and trafficking of wildlife products amid efforts to address the trend. Kenya has been working to combat wildlife crime, particularly poaching, which threatens the vital tourism industry.
Like elephant tusks, rhino horns fetch a fortune in the black market as a surge in demand for them in the East continues to fuel the illicit trade. Officials say despite a ban on the international trade in the products, the animals are still being poached in large numbers. The illegal ivory trade is mostly fuelled by demand in Asia and the Middle East.
Kenya has started using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and keep tabs on elephants and rhinos. The KWS and stakeholders have put in place mechanisms to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime. These mechanisms include enhanced community education, interagency collaboration, and intensive intelligence-led operations.
These efforts led to zero rhino poaching in Kenya in 2020, the first time in about two decades. On April 30, 2016, Kenya set ablaze 105 tonnes of elephant ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta led world leaders and conservationists in burning the remains of 6,500 elephants and 450 rhinos killed for their tusks and horn.
Regionally, Kenya has emerged as a major transit route for ivory destined for Asian markets from eastern and central Africa. Parliament has also passed strict anti-poaching laws and the government has beefed up security at parks to stop poaching. Investigations into the latest arrest are ongoing.
Key points
- A police officer was among four people arrested with a piece of rhinoceros horn valued at Sh1.5 million.
- The arrests were made during a multi-agency operation in Nairobi.
- Kenya has been working to combat wildlife crime, particularly poaching, which threatens the vital tourism industry.
