Police Seize KSh11 Million Worth of Ivory in Namanga Sting

Kenyan authorities have intercepted a major ivory trafficking operation in Namanga, arresting two suspects and seizing elephant tusks worth KSh11 million.

The operation took place at the Mufassa Hotel in Namanga, where intelligence had indicated that a significant ivory transaction was set to occur. Officers from the National Police Service and the Kenya Wildlife Service were stationed under surveillance, targeting the suspects, two Tanzanian nationals and a Kenyan citizen, who were believed to be meeting a buyer.

Upon the officers’ intervention, one of the Tanzanian suspects managed to flee, prompting a manhunt, while the other two were arrested and taken to Namanga Police Station for questioning. Investigators later searched two vehicles linked to the suspects, uncovering 20 elephant tusks weighing 110 kilogrammes in the boot of a Toyota Mark X.

A second vehicle, a Nissan Fairland, contained a weighing machine, suggesting the suspects were involved in preparing the ivory for trade. This arrest adds to a growing list of wildlife trafficking incidents in Kenya.

Earlier in the year, authorities intercepted a smuggling operation involving 5,000 queen ants worth KSh1 million, demonstrating the increasing scale of illegal trade in native species