Security officials have arrested two suspects transporting elephant tusks in a village in Gongoni, Magarini, Kilifi County.
The two men were riding on a motorcycle on March 24, 2025, when they were intercepted by Kenya Wildlife Service personnel in the Marikebuni area. They had concealed a green sack on the motorcycle, and officials reported that the traffickers were intending to deliver the cargo to a potential buyer in the area.
Upon conducting a thorough search, authorities recovered a 10-kilogram ivory tusk with an estimated street value of Sh1 million. The suspects were immediately arrested and escorted to the station pending arraignment, while the motorcycle and the ivory tusk were kept as evidence.
Officials believe the tusk was taken from a killed elephant in the area. An investigation is ongoing to gather more information regarding the source of the tusk and the network involved in its trafficking.
The suspects are expected to be charged with the offense of being in possession of wildlife trophies of endangered species, which is contrary to Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013. This seizure highlights ongoing challenges in tackling wildlife poaching, despite stringent measures in place to curb the illegal trade in ivory.
Elephant tusks fetch a high price on the black market, with demand in the Middle East fueling illicit trade, particularly from Africa. The illegal ivory trade is driven largely by demand in Asia and the Middle East, where elephant tusks and rhino horns are used to create ornaments and traditional medicines.
Despite a global ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants continue to be poached in significant numbers. To counter this menace, Kenya has intensified its use of high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones, to track poachers and monitor elephant and rhino populations.
Kenya Wildlife Service, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has implemented several strategies to combat wildlife crime. These include enhanced community education programs, interagency collaboration, and intelligence-led operations. Such efforts resulted in zero rhino poaching in Kenya in 2020, marking the first time in nearly two decades that no rhinos were killed by poachers.
On April 30, 2016, Kenya conducted one of the largest ivory burns in history, setting ablaze 105 tons of elephant ivory and 1.35 tons of rhino horn to send a strong message against poaching.
Parliament has passed strict anti-poaching laws, and the government has strengthened security at national parks to combat poaching, a major threat to the country’s tourism industry. However, despite these measures, Kenya has emerged as a significant transit route for ivory being smuggled from eastern and central Africa to Asian markets.
Authorities continue to work on eliminating wildlife crime, recognizing its impact on biodiversity and national heritage. The recent arrests serve as a reminder of the persistent threat posed by poaching and the ongoing efforts needed to protect endangered species
