Top Ivory Smugglers Arrested

Police have arrested three key suspects connected to the smuggling of ivory worth over 500 million shillings that was impounded in Thailand in May.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinett has said two other suspects are on the run while eight other suspects have already been arrested and are assisting police with investigations.

In a statement read by police spokesman George Kinoti, the Kenya police has contacted Interpol to help in arresting the two suspects who are on the run.

The consignment of ivory and other exotic animal parts transiting from Kenya to Vietnam was the biggest ivory seizure in Singapore in a decade.

The seizure was facilitated by an alert issued to the Singaporean authorities by KRA Customs Team on 28^th April 2015.

The alert pinpointed the two 20-foot containers containing ivory and other wildlife products based on a profile of shipments exported around the same time when the first illegal shipment of ivory was made.

In a statement by KRA Commissioner General John Njiraini, KRA identified and suspended the officer who handled the suspect shipment.

According to Njiraini, the roles of other KRA port based staff are being evaluated and appropriate actions will be taken as the relevant details emerge.

Further, the directors of the exporting company, the truck owner and the truck driver have been sought as part of the ongoing investigations.

The seizure came just days after a Vietnamese national was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) with rhino horns and lion teeth valued at Sh12 million.