We Have All Our Ivory, Says Port Police Boss (Kenya)

Author(s)

By Calvin Onsarigo, The Star

Date Published
Detectives are probing reports that part of the ivory seized in Thailand last month was stored at the Port of Mombasa.

But port police boss Zachareus Ngeno says all the exhibits are intact.

“They are tightly guarded within the port,” he said.

Ngeno told the Star yesterday an inter-agency team probing smuggling is yet to visit the facility.

According to investigations, containers are diverted to a godown, where ivory is stashed and new seals attached before the containers arrive at the port.

They are then cleared by customs officials and loaded onto a waiting ship for export to Asian markets.

Kenya Ports Authority officials told the Star they have no control over the containers once they are cleared by customs officials.

The Thai container, filled with three tonnes of ivory, allegedly passed through Gate 9 and was not scanned under instruction of customs officials.

The Star has established that it is one of six containers clandestinely moved through the port.

Documents obtained by the Star indicate the exporter, Samuel Jefwa, has exported 40-foot containers disguised as tea consignments since last year.

Jefwa allegedly owns Potential Quality Supplies.

The last two containers stuffed with tea bags were shipped out of the port on April 19 and 20 to Asian markets, where demand for ivory is high.

Kenya Revenue Authority exempts tea exports from scanning.