Police have seized about 600 kilograms of endangered sandalwood in a multi-agency operation at the Noolotoro area in Isiolo.

According to police, the recovery was made when security personnel intercepted a vehicle at around 0230hrs, and the two suspects, Thomas Lekirapash and Stephen Odour, were in custody in connection with the incident.

This follows a significant sandalwood crackdown in Samburu County, where authorities destroyed 13.5 tonnes of sandalwood valued at Kes 54 million.

Environment and Climate Change CS Roselinda Tuya, Directorate of Criminal Investigations head Mohamed Amin, Kenya Forests Service Chief Conservator Julius Kamau, and US Ambassador to Kenya Margaret Whitman oversaw the drill on March 1.

CS According to Tuya, the activity served as a metaphor for the dedication and cooperation of the many parties in dismantling criminal organizations that attempted to continually profit from the expanding black market for sandalwood and its byproducts.

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She continued by saying that because of the high demand for wood oil, a sizable illegal trafficking network had been established, and these traffickers were looking to take advantage of both community-managed forests and forests under the control of the KFS.

“It is estimated that in Samburu County, 1 kilogram of sandalwood is sold at less than Kes 100 which is less than 1 dollar. In the International market on the other hand, 1 litre of sandalwood oil fetches up to 3000 US dollars,” CS Soipan stated.