Cop among four arrested with rhino horn worth Sh1.5 million in Nairobi

A police officer from the National Police Service Hospital in Mbagathi is among four individuals arrested for possessing a rhinoceros horn worth approximately Sh1.5 million in Nairobi. The arrest took place during a multi-agency operation on Thursday, October 29, conducted along Kiambu Road in the Ridgeways area. The operation, which involved officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the National Police Service (NPS), was initiated based on intelligence.

The suspects were discovered with a piece of rhinoceros horn weighing around 0.7 kilograms, estimated to have a street value of Sh1.5 million. The seized horn was secured as evidence. The four suspects are currently in custody and are being investigated for dealing in wildlife trophies, which is a violation of Section 92(2) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376.

Ongoing investigations are being conducted. This case is the latest in a series of arrests related to poaching and trafficking of wildlife products, as authorities continue to combat the trend. Rhino horns, like elephant tusks, are highly valued in the black market due to a growing demand, particularly from the East. Despite a ban on international trade, poaching of these animals remains rampant.

To combat this issue, Kenya has implemented various measures, including the use of high-tech surveillance equipment such as drones to track poachers and monitor elephant and rhino populations. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other stakeholders are working together to eradicate all forms of wildlife crime, focusing on enhanced community education, interagency collaboration, and intelligence-led operations.

These efforts resulted in zero rhino poaching in Kenya in 2020, the first time in nearly two decades. In 2016, Kenya destroyed 105 tonnes of elephant ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn, a symbolic gesture led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta alongside world leaders and conservationists. The country has also strengthened anti-poaching laws and increased security at parks to deter poaching, which poses a threat to the country's vital tourism industry.

Additionally, Kenya has become a significant transit route for ivory destined for Asian markets from eastern and central Africa, driven by high demand in Asia and the Middle East for ornamental and traditional medicine purposes. The illegal ivory trade is largely fueled by demand in these regions.