An elite unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) apprehended the most wanted man in Kenya, Abdi Hussein Ahmed alias Abu Khadi.
Ahmed was arrested in an early morning raid in Maua, Meru County on Tuesday, August 2, where he was staying in a rented room. This is after detectives received intelligence on his whereabouts.
The wanted criminal had a Ksh119 million bounty placed on him by the United States government for wildlife and drug trafficking.
Ahmed was on the run after the US issued a warrant for his arrest after he was charged with Moazu Kromah, alias “Ayoub,” alias “Ayuba,” alias “Kampala Man;” Amara Cherif, alias “Bamba Issiaka;” and Mansur Mohamed Surur, alias “Mansour,” for participating in a conspiracy to traffic in ivory.
"The arrest comes after they were accused of involvement in the illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants.
"Their indictment followed a joint investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)," the DCI stated.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York charged Ahmed and his other accomplices with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
Ahmed's arrest comes after the US placed a similar bounty on his wanted accomplice Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh, who was nabbed while trying to leave the country.
Badru was arrested by a multi-agency unit in Liboi, Garissa county attempting to cross the border to Somalia. He and two other Kenyans were wanted in connection with committing fraud, and drug and ivory trafficking.
Charge De Affairs at the US Embassy in Nairobi Eric Kneedler had urged members of the public to provide any information that would lead to their arrests to relevant authorities.
A third person involved in the syndicate, while appearing before the Manhattan Federal Court pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in rhino and elephant ivory.
Ahmed and his co-conspirators connived 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, to buyers located in the United States and countries in Southeast Asia.
