Drug trafficker Badru Aziz Saleh to be extradited to US
Abdi Hussein Ahmed and Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh are wanted for the trafficking of wildlife and narcotics.
A Kenya, who was on US most-wanted list, will be extradited to face charges of trafficking narcotics and wildlife.
Badru Aziz Saleh, who was arrested last month while attempting to flee the country via Liboi did not oppose the extradition charges while appearing in court on Monday.
Aziz was seized following a tip-off by members of the public, a few days after the US Embassy’s Charge d'affaires Eric W. Kneedler and the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti announced a Sh230 million bounty for him and his accomplice Abdi Hussein Ahmed. Abdi is still at large.
Since his arrest, Aziz has been detained in Nairobi. Detectives have been questioning him about his role in a transnational organised crime network that is involved in largescale trafficking and smuggling of rhino horns, elephant tusks and heroine within and from some countries in the East and West Africa. The countries include Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania.
Court documents show that the items were transported disguised as pieces of art such as African masks and statues to customers in America and parts of South East Asia who would wire payments or pay in cash.
Also read: How Kenyan poacher made Sh865m
His other accomplices Moazu Kromah, 52, (Liberian), 57-year-old Amara Cherif (Guinean) and 62-year-old Mansur Surur (Kenyan) were extradited and pleaded guilty before a New York court on March 30, April 27 and June 1 respectively.
The estimated value of the rhino horns sold through their network is $3.4 million while the average retail value of the elephant ivory involved is $4million in addition to more than 10 kilos of heroin.
Court documents add that some of the rhino horns were intercepted while on transit to a buyer in Manhattan on March 16, 2018 and another set on July 17, 2018.
Separately, in August of the same year, Surur conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a large quantity of heroin to a buyer in New York.
Authorities are still calling on anyone with leads as to where Hussein may contact them.
“We welcome the news that Aziz Saleh has been captured. This would not have been possible without the public’s support. Abdi Hussein Ahmed is still out there and I continue to appeal to the public for information leading to his arrest,” said Mr Kneedler.
The US Department of State’s Transnational Organised Crime is keeping the information about who the bounty goes to a secret for their own safety.
The recipient receives the reward upon successful conviction of the wanted persons.
