Detectives from the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) have arraigned three foreign nationals over unauthorised possession of emeralds valued at approximately Sh19,000,000.
On June 30, 2026, Milton Ivan Espana Diaz from the United States, Luis Carlos Garcia Ayala from Colombia, and Manuel De Jesus Arevalo Rodriguez from Mexico were arrested with raw emerald weighing 74 grams.
Preliminary investigations revealed that these individuals lacked proper documentation regarding the origins of the minerals in question, as well as a mineral dealer’s or trading license from the State Department for Mining.
Appearing before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kibera, the three faced two counts: dealing with minerals without a valid dealer’s license and unauthorised possession of precious minerals.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to a bond of Sh500,000 with surety of a similar amount, alternatively to cash bail of Sh200,000 with one contact person. The court further ordered that their Passports be deposited in Court.
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.
