Police intercept ivory worth Ksh 6.4 million at JKIA

Police at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday intercepted 18 pieces of ivory valued at 6.4 million shillings.

The consignment of 22 boxes had been declared as gemstones said to have originated from Mozambique and destined for Bangkok in Thailand.

According to JKIA head of Criminal Investigations Joseph Ngisa, police are now conducting investigations to ascertain the identity of the sender and recipient.

This comes just days after a man linked to 40 pieces of ivory that were recovered near Githurai’s Kimbo Primary school in Nairobi was arrested.

The Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro confirmed the incident saying the arrest followed a tip-off from members of the public.

At the same time, Environment CS Judy Wakhungu has termed next month’s torching of 120 tonnes of ivory and 1.5 tonnes of rhino horn by President Uhuru Kenyatta as a milestone in the fight against poaching.

Wakhungu says 4,200 suspected poachers have been arrested in the past 3 years in intensified anti-poaching war, with 10 heads of state invited to the crucial April 30th event at Nairobi National Park.

The CS has, however, admitted that syndicated involved in the vice is global and sophisticated, with the proceeds used to fund other crimes.

Wakhungu has given a 21-day amnesty to anyone with illegal ivory, rhino horns or any other animal trophies to surrender them before the government cracks down on them.

She has, however, noted that the number of elephants killed by poachers has reduced to less than 100 last year compared to 164 in the previous year.