KWS officers arrest sandalwood smugglers
The endangered sandalwood tree. KWS officials over the weekend impounded a consignment of the tree believed to have been smuggled from Narosurra in Narok South Sub-County. Three suspects were arrested. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The smugglers had stolen pieces of the tree from Narosurra in Narok South Sub-County, loaded them into trucks and were transporting them towards Nairobi.
- The wood is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of perfumes.
- A station wagon vehicle which was leading the trucks during the incident managed to escape.
Kenya Wildlife Services officers in Narok County have foiled an attempt to smuggle 12 tonnes of the endangered sandalwood tree with an estimated value of Sh30 million.
Three suspects have been arrested.
The smugglers had stolen pieces of the tree from Narosurra in Narok South Sub-County, loaded them into trucks and were transporting them towards Nairobi.
Narok County KWS Senior Warden William Sang said the consignment was seized along the Naroosura-Narok road at the weekend after villagers raised the alarm.
COVERED WITH CABBAGES
The consignment was covered with cabbages to conceal it.
The trucks carrying the contraband wood were impounded and are being held at Narok Police Station.
Narok North Sub-County police boss Paul Leiting said police had launched investigations into the matter.
The wood is used as an ingredient in the manufacture of perfumes and the high demand for it has increased its smuggling, especially after the government banned the harvesting of the tree to safeguard it from extinction.
Criminals behind the trade are said to smuggle the tree out of the country for export through a neighbouring country, where a kilogramme of the wood, police say, fetches Sh6, 000.
Mr Sang said according to initial investigations, the commodity was destined to Embakasi in Nairobi for packaging before being transported to Uganda through Malava border point and Tanzania through Namanga.
USEFUL IN RE-AFFORESTATION
Mr Sang said the tree was useful in re-afforesting areas that had been depleted of forest cover because it thrives in thread-bare areas, semi-arid areas and it is among the endangered species.
“There is an upcoming trend where criminals are changing tact in smuggling of poached species by covering their loot with farm produce or meat in order to escape security checks,” he added.
He said they received information from the public about three weeks ago about the illegal business in the area and followed up the matter until they managed to apprehend the suspects.
He however noted that a station wagon vehicle which was leading the trucks during the incident managed to escape and called on anyone having information about it to volunteer it to the police.
