Three foreign nationals have been charged after detectives recovered raw emeralds valued at approximately Ksh19 million during an operation targeting the illegal trade in precious minerals.
According to a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), detectives attached to the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) arrested the three suspects on Tuesday, June 30 after they were allegedly found in possession of 74 grams of raw emeralds.
The suspects were identified as United States national Milton Ivan Espana Diaz, Colombian Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala and Mexican Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez.
Preliminary investigations established that the trio allegedly did not possess documentation proving the origin of the minerals. Detectives also said they lacked a mineral dealer's or trading licence issued by the State Department for Mining.
The three were subsequently arraigned before the Chief Magistrate's Court in Kibera, where they faced two charges: dealing in minerals without a valid dealer's licence and unauthorised possession of precious minerals.
They denied both charges.
The court released each suspect on a bond of Ksh500,000 with a surety of a similar amount or an alternative cash bail of Ksh200,000. The court also directed that all three surrender their passports pending the determination of the case.
Emeralds are among the world's most valuable gemstones. They are a green variety of the mineral beryl, with their distinctive colour resulting from trace amounts of chromium and vanadium.
The gemstones are highly sought after in luxury jewellery and premium accessories, with their value largely determined by factors such as colour, clarity, size and origin.
The prosecution comes as Kenya steps up efforts to tighten oversight of its mining sector while pursuing international partnerships aimed at unlocking greater value from its mineral resources.
In June, President William Ruto announced that Kenya and the United States were in the final stages of negotiating a minerals partnership focused on rare earth elements and other strategic minerals. The proposed agreement seeks to promote local processing of minerals within Kenya instead of exporting them in raw form.
Following talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, Ruto said the partnership would attract investment into mineral processing and manufacturing, create jobs and accelerate industrialisation.
The latest arrests also form part of a wider crackdown by authorities on illegal mining and the illicit trade in precious minerals, with investigators increasingly targeting individuals suspected of operating outside Kenya's mining laws.
In a statement, the DCI said the prosecution of the three foreign nationals demonstrates the agency's determination to protect the country's mineral wealth from illegal exploitation.
"This case underscores the DCI's commitment to combat illegal mining and ensure that those who exploit Kenya's rich mineral resources without the proper legal framework are held accountable," the agency stated.
