Police have arrested nine people in multi-agency operations targeting poachers and elephant tusks valued at Kes 7 million recovered from them.

According to police, the operations were separately staged in Kaloleni and Kibwezi.

The first incident happened when the team seized two pieces of elephant tusks and four live terrapins in the Kaloleni area, Kilifi County.

Six people were arrested at Kaloleni Shopping Centre after a tip-off from citizens that there were suspected wildlife traffickers in the area.

Further, police say the suspects were taken to Mariakani police station, awaiting transfer to Nairobi for further processing and arraignment on Monday.

Did you read this?

  1. Man Jailed For A Year After Being Found With Zebra Meat
  2. KWS Rangers Shoots 4 Teenagers Over Illegal Fishing In Lake Nakuru
  3. Hippos On The Loose In Homa Bay; KWS Told To Tame Killer Animals Roaming In Beaches

Elsewhere, three suspected poachers were arrested, and eight pieces of elephant tusks valued at Kes 2 million were recovered from their car in Kibwezi, Makueni county.

According to Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials and police officers, the three were in a car along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in the Thenge area when it was intercepted.

The tusks weighed about 20kgs in the June 4 incident and were detained at the KWS Chyuklu Hills National Park office.

Police said the suspects will be charged with having wildlife trophies of endangered species contrary to the law.

Officials said the seizure showed up to four elephants had been killed, and there is a likelihood the incidents happened in the nearby parks.