NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31 – The United States Embassy has announced the arrest of one of the Narcotics and Wildlife Trafficking suspect who had a 1-million-dollar bounty on his head.
According to Chargé d’Affaires Eric Kneedler, Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh was arrested following a tip-off from the public received by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and is in police custody in Nairobi.
Kneedler pointed out that the information leading to his capture came in response to last Thursday’s announcement of rewards seeking information leading to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of Saleh and Abdi Hussein Ahmed
“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,” Kneedler stated.
He pointed out that the source of the information will remain anonymous for their protection.
He indicated that the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program provides rewards for wanted individuals upon their successful conviction.
The United States has issued a bounty of up to 1 million dollars each for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the two Kenyan fugitives.
They were 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.
Kneedle stated that the indictment against the two suspects alleges 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 alleges a conspiracy to distribute approximately 10 kilograms of heroin.
DCI Boss George Kinoti on his part said that the two suspects together with their accomplice Mansur Mohamed Suhur who was arrested, on several occasions between December 2012 and May 2019, were involved in smuggling of narcotics and wildlife from different countries in Africa, including Kenya, to the United States.
