Beth Wambui Maina, a 42-year-old woman has been arrested while transporting endangered sandalwood species worth Sh750,000 in Mombasa.
According to the DCI, Ms Wambui, alias Mama Liam was intercepted at Athi River, en route Mombasa.
Sandalwood is an endangered species whose harvesting was outlawed by the government in 2007. However, unscrupulous traders have continued with uprooting it more so in Baringo and Samburu.
The tree is harvested for its essential oil, which is extracted to manufacture medicines and cosmetics and has been listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Read: Two Fined Sh3 Million For Killing Endangered Turtle Species
“Beth Wambui alias Ma Liam, was arrested at Athi river headed towards Mombasa, and the fine-grained pieces of wood recovered concealed in the trunk of her vehicle,” the DCI said.
A 42-year-old woman is in custody after she was arrested by a multiagency security team, ferrying 250kgs of the endangered sandal wood species estimated to be worth Sh750,000. Beth Wambui alias Ma Liam, was arrested at Athi river headed towards Mombasa, pic.twitter.com/vjolyqi2A7
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) December 9, 2021
Ms Wambui will be charged with dealing in endangered wildlife species contrary to section 92(2) of the wildlife conservation and management act
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