A fugitive who is wanted by the US government on wildlife and drug trafficking charges has finally been arrested and extradited.
In a statement, Abdi Hussein Ahmed alias Abu Khadi, was handed over to the US government following orders by Hon Roseline Aganyo, at the Milimani Chief Magistrate’s Court on August 31, 2022.
Ahmed was arrested in his rented room in Maua, Meru County on August 3, 2022, in an early morning raid by detectives after tipoff.
He is accused of conspiring to traffic in Rhinoceros horns and Elephant ivory with an estimated value of over $7 million USD (Ksh 700M) from their illegal poaching of over 35 rhinoceros and 100 elephants.
DCI stated that between December 2012 and May 2019, Ahmed and his co-conspirators who are said to be members of a transnational criminal enterprise based in Uganda conspired to transport, distribute, sell and smuggle at least approximately 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and at least 10 tons of elephant ivory from various countries in East Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania, to buyers located in the United States and Southeast Asia countries.
“Ahmed is wanted in the U.S after he was charged in an indictment alongside Moazu Kromah, aka “Ayoub,” aka “Ayuba,” aka “Kampala Man;” Amara Cherif, aka “Bamba Issiaka;” and Mansur Mohamed Surur, aka “Mansour,” for participating in a conspiracy to traffic in Rhinoceros horns and Elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species, valued at more than $7 million USD. This involved the illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants,” part of the statement read.
DCI further says Ahmed alongside his co-conspirators are accused of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
“Their indictment was a result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York, charged Ahmed and his other co-conspirators with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.”
This comes three months after the arrest of his accomplice Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh, alias “Badro” who was nabbed on May 31.
