Police intercept 120kg of zebra meat in Narok

BY KIPCHUMBA KEMEI

Narok, Kenya: Police in Narok have intercepted about 120 kg of zebra meat that was being transported from Masai Mara Game Reserve to Nairobi.

It was intercepted Saturday by hawk eyed traffic police at Ntulele area along the Narok-Mai Mahiu road.

The area police boss Peterson Maelo said the driver and two other occupants in the vehicle that was later towed to Ntulele Police Station abandoned it and fled into a thicket after they noticed police following them.

“The driver of the vehicle refused to stop when he was flagged down by traffic police manning a road block in the area. This prompted them to pursue the vehicle but when the driver realized, he stopped and alighted with another occupant and fled into a thicket,” he said.

Maelo who added that public health and veterinary officials confirmed that the cargo was zebra meat, said the vehicle would be detained until its owner turns up to claim it and hand over the driver to police.

The local Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Senior Warden Bernard Koruta said the road has in the past two years become a transit point for game meat and pledged for increased patrols.

“Those who traffic game meat are working with locals who kill the animals and sell them. We will increase surveillance and patrols to deter killings and trafficking,” said Koruta who hailed traffic police based at Ntulele for the interception.