Man Wanted in US Hunted Down in Mombasa

A file image of Kenya Police.
A file image of Kenya Police.
File

A wanted fugitive from the United States was on Tuesday, July 28, arrested by a multi-agency team in Mombasa at 1 a.m after he landed from Yemen on board a chartered aircraft.

According to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mansur Mohamed Surur, who is a Kenyan citizen, is wanted for the illegal trade of illegal rhino horns and elephant ivory.

"The holder of Passport number [WITHHELD] and Kenyan ID card no [WITHHELD] who had been flagged as wanted in the US for ivory related offences was arrested at the arrival terminals at the Moi International Airport," reads the report.

An undated image of a police vehicle at a scene of a crime
A police vehicle pictured at a scene of a crime
Photo
NPS

Further, the report indicated that Manur had been handed over to Interpol in Nairobi for questioning and further action.

According to a report by the Department of Justice in the US Attorney Office in New York in June 2019, Manur and Abdi Hussein Ahmed, also a Kenyan citizen, were charged in an indictment for participating in a conspiracy to traffic in rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species, valued at more than $7 million (approximately Ksh754 million).

The conspiracy involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than approximately 100 elephants.

Other than illegal poaching, the two were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 10 kilograms of heroin.  

"The alleged enterprise, responsible for the illegal slaughter of dozens of rhinos and more than 100 elephants, was as destructive to protected species as it was lucrative," reads the report.

Surur's suspected transactional criminal activities are said to have been in Uganda and surrounding countries.

The ivory rhino horns are said to have come from various African countries including Uganda, DR Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal and Tanzania.

They were then sold to buyers in United States and some countries in South-East Asia.

In terms of payment, they are alleged to have received and deposited payments from foreign customers that were sent in the form of international wire transfers, some which were sent through US financial institutions, and paid in cash.

Mtwapa Police Station directional signage.
Mtwapa Police Station directional signage.
File
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