Nairobi — The United States has issued a bounty of upto USD1 million for information leading to the arrest and or conviction of each of two Kenyan fugitives wanted for wildlife and drug trafficking.
The two identified as Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh and Abdi Hussein Ahmed are wanted for their alleged involvement in an international organized criminal network that trafficked wildlife from African countries and sought to traffic illicit drugs to the United States.
While making the announcement, Thursday at the DCI Headquarters in Nairobi, US Embassy, Nairobi, Charge d'Affaires Eric Kneedler, said that the two inductees were believed to have been involved in a conspiracy to smuggle at least 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and at least ten tons of elephant ivory valued at more than 7 million dollars.
The indictment further alleged a conspiracy to distribute approximately 10 kilograms of heroin.
"Eradicating drug and wildlife trafficking are priorities of the Biden Administration. We are grateful for the continued partnership of the Government of Kenya to capture and arrest members of these criminal networks," Kneedler said
The reward is offered by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with the support of the National Police Service.
Kneedler said that the United States and Kenya will continue to collaborate to combat wildlife trafficking, drug trafficking, and any other transnational crime affecting both countries.
He urged those with information on the fugitive's whereabouts to contact the Fish and Wildlife Service at +1-844-FWS-TIPS or +1-844-397-8477 or email FWS TIPS@fws.gov, or the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations Hotline at +254(0)800722203 noting that the identities will be kept confidential.
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Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director George Kinoti who hosted the US delegations said that the two suspects together with their accomplice identified as Mansur Mohamed Suhur, arrested on several occasions between December 2012 and May 2019, were involved in transportation, distribution and smuggling of narcotics and wildlife from different countries in Africa, including Kenya, to the United States.
"On June 14, 2019, the US Southern District Court of New York indicted the three individuals. A Red Notice was issued by INTERPOL in respect of Suhur Mansur Mohamed and Ahmed Abdi Hussein while a warrant of arrest issued in respect to Saleh Badru Abdulaziz by the Southern District Court of New York," Kinoti said.
He added a suspect identified as Badru Abdulaziz Saleh was arrested in Kenya at the Busia Border by DCI detectives on June 11, 2019.
He was then transported to Nairobi and later arraigned before Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Court.
He added that on July 12, 2019 Badru Abdulaziz was granted bail of Sh200,000 and compelled to report every fortnight to the detectives.
"However, upon his release on bail, he reported to the detectives until December 2019 when he was last seen," Kinoti stated.
The DCI boss said that prior to the arrest of Badru Abdulaziz Saleh in June 11, 2019, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had joined forces with DCI Anti-Narcotics Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU) in an undercover operation in December 2018, aimed at gathering evidence on the trio.
