Two arrested with 14kg elephant tusks

Kenya Wildlife Services officers recovered ivory tusks weighing 14kg and arrested two suspects in Naivasha.

The two were arrested on Friday morning at Maches centre along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway by the officers acting as potential customers.

Drama unfolded as the two suspects riding a motorcycle tried to flee after learning they had been tricked.

KWS assistant director in charge of Central Rift region Aggrey Maumo said the officers laid a trap by pretending to be customers.

Maumo said they suspected the tusks were from an elephant killed either in Lakipia or the Mau months back.

“Our intelligence officers have been following up this case and managed to convince the suspects that they were customers. They have been arrested with seven pieces of ivory weighing 14kg,” he said.

Maumo commended the officers for the recovery, adding the duo would be arraigned in the Naivasha law courts.

“We are committed to ending this menace of poaching that poses a major threat to our wildlife and the sting operations targeting poachers will continue,” he said.

The arrest comes barely a month after unknown people raided Lake Nakuru National Park and shot dead a rhino before making away with its horn.

The park has in the past recorded cases of killing of rhinos by poachers targeting the horns that have a ready market in the Far East.

Meanwhile, motorists using the Nairobi-Nakuru highway have been warned to be on high alert following an increase in the number of wildlife crossing the road.

Fred Muthui of Friends of Lake Naivasha said the most affected areas were Marula, Gilgil weigh bridge and Soysambu area where the animals seek pasture along the highway.

He said the recent fencing of ranches along the highway had contributed to the crisis with migratory routes closed forcing the animals to use the road.

“We have seen an increase in the number of wild animals along the highway and we are asking motorists to be cautious while using this road,” he said.