Three men charged with trafficking aloe gum worth Ksh.15M

Three men have been charged in court for trafficking a staggering 15 tons of aloe gum, with a street value of Ksh.15 million, without the required documentation.

Adan Adaw Abdullah, Ahmed Yusuf Abdurahiman, and Chode Cheme Chode were on Monday arraigned at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts, where they denied the charges leveled against them.

According to Prosecution Counsel Paula Rono, the trio was arrested on April 13, 2025, at the Merti junction roadblock, strategically positioned along the Marsabit–Isiolo Highway in Samburu County.

Authorities flagged down a lorry ferrying the high-value cargo, only to discover it was loaded with aloe gum - harvested and transported without a valid permit.

Aloe gum, extracted from wild aloe plants, is a sought-after commodity in the herbal and cosmetic industries. However, it remains a protected product under Kenyan environmental laws, and its harvesting, transport, or sale without authorization is a criminal offense.

Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku ordered the three accused persons to be remanded at the Industrial Area Prison, pending a pre-bail report that will inform whether or not they will be granted release before trial.