Three foreign nationals have been arraigned before a Nairobi court after detectives from the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations unit found them in possession of raw emeralds valued at approximately Ksh 19 million without the required authorisation.
The three, Milton Ivan Espana Diaz of the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala of Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez of Mexico, were arrested on June 30, 2026, found carrying raw emeralds weighing 74 grams.
Preliminary investigations established that the three lacked proper documentation on the origins of the minerals and had no valid mineral dealer’s or trading licence issued by the State Department for Mining.
Appearing before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kibera, they faced two counts.
These counts were: dealing in minerals without a valid dealer’s licence and unauthorised possession of precious minerals. All three pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court admitted them to a bond of Ksh 500,000 with surety of a similar amount, or alternatively a cash bail of Ksh 200,000 with one contact person.
The court additionally directed that their passports be deposited with the court pending the conclusion of the matter.
The arrests are part of the DCI’s broader crackdown on illegal mining and mineral smuggling, with the agency reiterating its commitment to ensuring that those who exploit Kenya’s mineral resources outside the legal framework are held to account.
