By Okong’o Oduya
Busia County, Kenya: Police in Busia recently intercepted 42 kilograms of ivory worth 4.2 KSH Millions that were on transit from Uganda to Kenya.
Busia police county commander John Nyoike confirmed that criminal investigation officers together with officers from the wildlife department acted on a tip-off from the members of the public. They arrested a Boda Boda rider, Joseph Ndenda a Ugandan national who was transporting the cargo through a un gazetted route.
The suspect attempted to smuggle the contraband, worth millions, through Marachi area in Busia. Nyoike also said Ndenda had an extra 35 kilograms of elephant bones whose value is yet to be established.
“Acting on information from the public we were able to intercept Joseph Ndenda, a Ugandan citizen, sneaking 42 kilograms of ivory and 35 kilograms of elephant bones into the country using the ungazetted route at Marachi area in Busia town,” he said.
The suspect is in the custody helping the police with the investigation and he will be arraigned in court to answer the charges of being in possession of game products.
In a statement to the media in Busia Nyoike noted that the smuggler reportedly had hidden ivory pieces packed in two sacks confusing the public with dry cassava, but upon checking it was realized the content was game products.
According to him, this is the first time they are intercepting such illegal animal products crossing the border adding that the region does have elephants so poaching for its products is rare.
The ivory’s origins and destination are still unknown, he said. Investigators were looking into who was behind the contraband operation
Statistics reveal that every 15 minutes an elephant is killed for its ivory. About 30,000 elephants are killed every year, which is a seven percent decline per year.
Uganda is a common smuggling route for the illegal trade including ivory which in most cases is destined to China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
However, Nyoike warned members of public to stop attacking and killing wild animals condemning the act of members of public of killing hippos two weeks ago in Busia.
He advised them to report any wild animal on lose to the relevant authorities instead of killing them.
“Hippos stay around the water sources such as rivers, swamps and lakes, and these animals only come out to graze. It is unfortunate when it is out it is killed it is our responsibility to look after these animals,” he explained.
