The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has charged three foreign nationals after they were allegedly found in possession of emeralds worth about Ksh19 million without the required licences and documentation.

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The suspects, who are citizens of the United States, Colombia and Mexico, were arrested on June 30, 2026, following an operation by detectives from the Anti-Illegal Mining and Smuggling Investigations (AIMSI) unit.

According to the DCI, the trio was found with 74 grams of raw emeralds during the operation.

Preliminary investigations established that they did not possess documents showing the origin of the minerals or valid mineral dealer's licences issued by the State Department for Mining.

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The three were later arraigned before the Chief Magistrate's Court in Kibera, where they faced charges of dealing in minerals without a valid dealer's licence and unauthorised possession of precious minerals.

Emeralds are among the world's most valuable precious gemstones and are a green variety of the mineral beryl, with their distinctive colour resulting from traces of chromium and vanadium.

They are widely used in high-end jewellery and luxury accessories, with their value depending on factors such as colour, clarity, size and origin.

They denied the charges and were released on a bond of Ksh500,000 with a surety of a similar amount. The court also allowed an alternative cash bail of Ksh200,000 for each accused.

As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that the suspects surrender their passports pending the hearing and determination of the case.

"This case indicates 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 said.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke