A Nairobi court Friday allowed the Director of Criminal Investigations to detain two men accused of dealing in rhino horns for 10 days to allow completion of investigations into what authorities describe as a transnational ivory smuggling syndicate.
JKIA Law Court’s principal magistrate Njeri Thuku allowed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) application to hold Faiswal Mohamed Ali and Mohammed Hassan Kontoma, who were arrested in Mombasa on August 26 with two rhino horns weighing 2.2 kilograms and valued at about Sh10 million.
The suspects were apprehended following a multi-agency surveillance operation in Mama Ngina area, Mvita Sub-County.
The DCI told the court that the two are believed to be kingpins in an international smuggling ring involved in sourcing, transporting, and financing the illegal trade in wildlife trophies.
“The respondents are facing the charges of dealing and possession of wildlife trophies, respectively, contrary to sections 92 (2) and 92 (4) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, CAP 376 LOK,” read the court documents
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