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Conservationists Hail Arrest of Notorious Wildlife Trafficker in Kenya

Mohammed Yusuf

   NAIROBI - Conservationists are lauding the arrest Wednesday in Kenya of
   alleged wildlife trafficker Abubakar Mansur Mohammed Surur, who also is
   wanted in the United States.

   Kenya authorities, with the help of U.S. officials, arrested Surur in
   the coastal city of Mombasa.

   Philip Muruthi, vice president of species conservation and science at
   the Africa Wildlife Foundation, said he welcomed the arrest.

   "By catching a kingpin, you can actually disrupt the illegal wildlife
   trade. He is a very dangerous individual who has funding and who is
   involved in multiple illegalities, and those are the kingpins you
   really want to catch," Muruthi said. "One of the weaknesses of fighting
   the illegal wildlife trade is that we don't get to the kingpin. A lot
   of the arrests are of the smaller guys."

   Surur is charged with conspiracy to traffic 190 kilograms of rhino
   horns and 10 tons of ivory worth more than $7 million. The Kenyan
   national also is accused of money laundering and distribution of
   heroin.

   Investigators believe Surur is a member of the Kromah network, a
   smuggling organization that trades in drugs and illegal wildlife
   products.

   The network shipped its goods out of ports in Pemba, Mozambique, Dar es
   Salaam, Tanzania and Mombasa.

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