Sh116m reward: Kenyan fugitive Badru Saleh arrested after DCI tip-off

A poster of captured fugitive Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh. [US Embassy].

A Kenyan national wanted by the United States for alleged narcotics and wildlife trafficking has been apprehended following a tip-off to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh was captured on Monday following a multiagency effort by US and local law enforcement, just four days after the US Department of State announced a reward of Sh116 million ($1 million) for information leading to his arrest.

According to the US Embassy, Saleh was on the run alongside another Kenyan, Abdi Hussein Ahmed, who is still at large, for his alleged involvement in an international organized criminal network that trafficked wildlife from Africa and sought to traffic illicit drugs to the US.

Wanted fugitive Abdi Hussein Ahmed. [US Embassy]

The two allegedly conspired to distribute approximately 10 kilograms of heroin, tonnes of ivory valued at more than Sh817m ($7 million) and smuggle 190Kgs of rhinoceros horns.

“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 US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Eric Kneedler.

Speaking about the hunt for Saleh and Ahmed on May 26, Kneedler lauded efforts to combat wildlife and drug trafficking saying the US and Kenya will continue to collaborate to combat transnational crimes affecting both countries.

“Eradicating drug and wildlife trafficking are priorities of the Biden Administration. We are grateful for the continued partnership of the Government of Kenya to capture and arrest members of these criminal networks,” said Kneedler.

Saleh is in police custody in Nairobi.