Kenyan police believe money from elephant poaching is being used to fund terrorism after they arrested a man Friday (January 25th) for allegedly trying to smuggle 1.6 million shillings ($18,500) across the border with Somalia, Kenya's Daily Nation reported.

The suspect possessed Kenyan identity documents but spoke neither English nor Swahili, according to Coast police chief Aggrey Adoli.

The suspect was arrested in Mokowe with the intention of crossing into Somalia to meet al-Shabaab members, Adoli said. "After interrogating him he said he was heading to Somalia to help his family which was captured by some militants."

"Detectives had trailed the suspect who is of Somali origin from Mombasa," Adoli said. "He was arrested when he wanted to sneak into Somalia and he could be linked to the poachers who killed a family of elephants in Tsavo," he said. Adoli said the suspect would be held for further investigation.

Also on Friday, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers killed three poachers in a shootout in Shimba Hills National Park, KWS officer in charge for Coast region Simon Gitau said. Four poachers escaped, he said.

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