Police nab 3, recover elephant tusks in Marsabit raid
By Kenneth Mwenda, June 11, 2026Police in Marsabit County have arrested three persons of interest and recovered 13 pieces of elephant tusks in a crackdown on illegal wildlife trafficking.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI Kenya) said officers from Marsabit Police Station carried out the operation in Majengo area after receiving a tip-off from members of the public.
The three were arrested inside a residential house where the ivory was hidden.
DCI officers said they moved quickly to the scene and surrounded the house before gaining entry. They were caught inside and did not manage to escape.
During a search of the house, officers recovered a green sack that contained 13 pieces of elephant tusks. Police believe the ivory was from recently poached elephants and was being prepared for illegal trade.
The three were taken to Marsabit Police Station where they are being processed ahead of their court appearance. The recovered tusks were secured as exhibits for use in prosecution.
In a statement, DCI Kenya said the operation reflected ongoing efforts to dismantle wildlife trafficking networks in the country.
“Acting on a concrete tip-off, the officers swarmed a residential house in the Majengo area. A rapid, thorough search of the premises led officers to a suspicious green sack sitting innocently on the floor. Inside was a grim harvest of greed: 13 pieces of elephant tusks,” the agency said.
Crackdown on wildlife crime
The Directorate added that the arrests form part of coordinated intelligence-led operations targeting poaching and illegal wildlife trade, which remains a major threat to Kenya’s endangered species.
Wildlife authorities have repeatedly warned that elephant poaching continues to fuel the illegal ivory trade across parts of northern Kenya and beyond. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has also intensified similar crackdowns in other regions.
Earlier this year, KWS officers arrested three in Lokichar, Turkana County, where they recovered 42 kilograms of elephant ivory, alongside leopard and python skins. A motorcycle used to transport the trophies was also seized during the operation.
KWS said the Turkana operation highlighted the scale of wildlife trafficking networks operating in remote areas and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting endangered species.
“A KWS joint covert intelligence team arrested three suspects in Lokichar, Turkana County, in possession of 42 kg of elephant ivory, as well as leopard and python skins,” the service said in an earlier statement.
Conservation agencies say poaching not only threatens wildlife populations but also undermines tourism and community livelihoods that depend on Kenya’s natural heritage.
DCI and KWS have urged members of the public to continue sharing intelligence through anonymous reporting channels, including the #FichuaKwaDCI hotline, to help curb wildlife crime.