Three Ivory smugglers arrested in Nairobi

Kenya: Three smugglers were on Tuesday nabbed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Security personnel ferrying four pieces of ivory weighing fourteen kilogrammes.

The three, John Waweru, John Waigwa, and Roseline Kimani were arrested at Kayole junction along Nairobi's Kangundo road ferrying the contraband ivory on a motorbike.

Kenya Wildlife Service Director General William Kiprono said poachers and ivory traffickers were using motorbikes commonly referred to as boda bodas to evade police detection.

He said: "Smugglers use motorbikes to evade security officers but we have asked our officers including the police not to let motorbikes pass uninspected"

The director however said poaching had declined in the past four months and cited the new anti-poaching laws to have the poachers at bay.

The suspects were remanded at the Langata police station awaiting appearance in court to answer to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of wildlife trophy.

Meanwhile KWS security operation team in Tsavo West National Park has arrested eighteen herdsmen for illegal livestock grazing in the park. The herdsmen have been remanded at the Taita Taveta police station and are due to be arraigned in court for illegal grazing in a protected area.

Livestock incursion in Kenya's National Parks and Reserves is one of the major threats to wildlife conservation. The livestock deplete food and water resources for wildlife and poachers take advantage of these incursions by posing as herdsmen. Besides, livestock intruding the protected areas pose the danger of spreading diseases.