Detectives have arrested a suspect and recovered elephant tusks in an intelligence-led operation in Lungalunga, Kwale County.
In a statement on Sunday, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the operation, conducted on March 28, 2026, followed credible intelligence received by officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), prompting a coordinated response with the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Lungalunga.
“At approximately 1540 hours, the team apprehended the suspect, Nyamawi Mwandia Kulemba, in the Shirikisho area while transporting four elephant tusks weighing 39 kilograms, concealed in sacks and ferried on a blue Haojin motorcycle without registration plates,” the DCI said.
The suspect was escorted to Lungalunga Police Station, where he remains in custody pending arraignment.
The recovered tusks have been secured as exhibits as KWS continues with investigations.
The DCI, in collaboration with multi-agency partners, reiterated its commitment to combating wildlife trafficking and preserving Kenya’s natural heritage, warning that those involved will face the full force of the law.
Elephant tusks fetch high prices on the black market, with rising demand in parts of Asia and the Middle East continuing to fuel the illegal trade. Ivory and rhino horns are often used to make ornaments and traditional medicines.
Officials say that despite a ban on international ivory trade, African elephants are still being poached in significant numbers.
As part of efforts to curb the menace, Kenya has adopted high-tech surveillance, including the use of drones, to track poachers and monitor wildlife. KWS and its partners have also strengthened community education, inter-agency collaboration, and intelligence-led operations.
These efforts contributed to zero rhino poaching cases in Kenya in 2020—the first time in nearly two decades.