The United States Thursday offered a Sh233 million cash reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of two Kenyans.
The two men, Abdi Hussein Ahmed and Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh, are wanted for trafficking wildlife and narcotics to the USA. The US on Thursday offered up to $2 million (Sh233 million).
Aziz and Ahmed are accused of being part of an international organised criminal network that trafficked wildlife and sought to traffic illicit drugs to the United States.
They are accused of conspiring to smuggle at least 190 kilograms of rhino horns and 10 tonnes of ivory.
Acting US ambassador to Kenya Eric Kneedler said the rhino horns and ivory were valued at $7 million (Sh800m).
He said the two fugitives are major violators of US narcotics and wildlife trafficking laws and are wanted for their alleged involvement in an international organized criminal network that trafficked wildlife from Africa and sought to traffic illicit drugs to the United States.
The indictment against the two further alleges 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,” said Kneedler.
The reward is offered by the United States (U.S. Department of State, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) with the full support of the Kenyan National Police Service.
He added the United States and Kenya will continue to collaborate to combat wildlife trafficking, drug trafficking, and any other transnational crime affecting both countries.
DCI boss George Kinoti called on all actors in the justice system to assist in the arrest and prosecution of the two. “America has played a great role in facilitating tracking of criminal networks.”
What we have here today is an example of our integrated approach that is -oriented to deal effectively with these criminal networks,” said Kinoti.
He said the two with Mansur Mohamed Sahul who was arrested on several occasions between December 2012 and May 2019 are wanted for the crimes.
The DCI boss said the suspects were involved in the transportation, distribution and smuggling of 190 kilos of rhinoceros horns, and 10 tonnes of elephant ivory from different countries in Africa, including Kenya which they transported to the US.
Kinoti said the suspects also transported and distributed one kilogram of heroin from Kenya to the US.
“On June 14, 2019, the United States Southern District Court of New York indicted the three individuals. Interpol issued a red notice in respect to the said suspects, Sahul Mansur Mohamed and Ahmed Abdi Hussein, while a warrant of arrest was issued in respect to Saleh Badul.”
Kinoti said Saleh Badul was later arrested at the Busia border by DCI detectives on June 11, 2019, and arraigned at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport law courts before he was released on cash bail.
He added the suspect was directed to report to detectives every two weeks.
“However, upon release on bail, he disappeared up to December 2019 when he was last seen,” Kinoti said.
Individuals with information on the fugitive’s whereabouts are asked 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.
Identities are kept strictly confidential.
Source-https://www.the-star.co.ke/
US offers Sh200m cash reward for two Kenyans wanted over wildlife crimes