Three suspects have been arrested in Marsabit County after police recovered 13 pieces of elephant tusks in an operation targeting wildlife trafficking.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), officers from Marsabit Police Station conducted the raid following a tip-off from members of the public.
The operation led them to a residential house in the Majengo area, where the suspects had allegedly concealed the illegal wildlife trophies.
The suspects were identified as Wario Ali Halo, Umuro Afani Duba and Alkano Elema Galgalo.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the DCI said officers moved swiftly after receiving credible information regarding the illegal activities.
“Acting on a concrete tip-off, the officers swarmed a residential house in the Majengo area,” the agency said.
Police stated that the suspects believed they were safe inside the house, but officers successfully entered the premises and conducted a detailed search.
“The suspects, Wario Ali Halo, Umuro Afani Duba, and Alkano Elema Galgalo, thought they were safe behind closed doors. However, officers breached the hideout, catching the trio completely off guard,” the DCI said.
During the search, officers discovered a green sack inside the house. Upon inspection, they found 13 pieces of elephant tusks believed to have been obtained through poaching.
“A rapid, thorough search of the premises led officers to a suspicious green sack sitting innocently on the floor. But inside was a grim harvest of greed: 13 pieces of freshly poached elephant tusks, representing the senseless slaughter of Kenya’s heritage,” the statement read.
The three suspects were taken to Marsabit Police Station together with the recovered tusks, which have been secured as exhibits. They are currently undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment in court.
The DCI said the latest operation demonstrates the National Police Service’s resolve to combat wildlife crime in collaboration with other government agencies and stakeholders.
“This operation underscores the National Police Service’s commitment, in collaboration with other government agencies and stakeholders, in the fight against wildlife trafficking and the protection of endangered species,” the agency stated.
