Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced in a press release on Monday 25 January 2021, that Mansur Mohamed Surur, 60, a Kenyan citizen, was extradited from Kenya and arrived in the United States this morning. Surur was arrested by Kenyan authorities on 29 July 2020, in Mombasa, Kenya,
on charges of conspiracy to traffic in Rhinoceros horns and Elephant
ivory, both endangered wildlife species, which involved the illegal
poaching of more than approximately 35 Rhinoceros and more than 100 Elephants. In addition, Surur was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to
distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 10 kilograms
of heroin. Surur's co-defendant, Moazu Kromah, a citizen of Liberia, was previously deported to the United States from Uganda on 13 June 2019. Co-defendant Amara Cherif, a citizen of Guinea, was extradited to the United States from Senegal on 3 April 2020. Co-defendant Abdi Hussein Ahmed, citizen of Kenya, remains a fugitive. Surur is expected to be arraigned later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods.
Mansur Mohamed Surur, extracted from Kenya to the United States to face charges of trafficking in Rhinoceros horns, Elephant ivory and heroin. The Standard.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: 'Mansur Mohamed Surur is
alleged to be a member of an international conspiracy to traffic in Rhino horns, Elephant ivory, and heroin. The enterprise is allegedly
responsible for the illegal slaughter of dozens of Rhinos and more than
100 Elephants, both endangered species. The excellent work of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration has put an end to this operation.'
According to allegations in the indictment Kromah, Cherif, Surur, and Ahmed were members of a transnational criminal enterprise based in Uganda and surrounding countries that was engaged in the
large-scale trafficking and smuggling of Rhinoceros horns and Elephant
ivory, both protected wildlife species. Trade involving endangered or
threatened species violates several U.S. laws, as well as international
treaties implemented by certain U.S. laws.
From at least in or about December 2012 through at least in or about May
2019, Kromah, Cherif, Surur, and Ahmed conspired to transport,
distribute, sell, and smuggle at least approximately 190 kilograms of Rhinoceros horns and at least approximately 10 tons of Elephant ivory
from or involving various countries in East Africa, including Uganda,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique,
Senegal, and Tanzania, to buyers located in the United States and
countries in Southeast Asia. Such weights of Rhinoceros horn and Elephant ivory are estimated to have involved the illegal poaching of
more than approximately 35 Rhinoceros and more than approximately 100 Elephants. In total, the estimated average retail value of the Rhinoceros horn involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately
$3.4 million, and the estimated average retail value of the Elephant
ivory involved in the conspiracy was at least approximately $4 million.
The defendants exported and agreed to export the Rhinoceros horns and Elephant ivory for delivery to foreign buyers, including those
represented to be in Manhattan, in packaging that concealed the Rhinoceros horns and Elephant ivory in, among other things, pieces of
art such as African masks and statues. The defendants received and
deposited payments from foreign customers that were sent in the form of
international wire transfers, some which were sent through U.S.
financial institutions.
On a number of occasions, Kromah, Surur, and Ahmed met with a
confidential source (identifies as 'CS-1'), both together and separately, concerning
potential purchases of Elephant ivory and Rhinoceros horn. During these
meetings and at other times via phone calls and electronic messages,
CS-1 discussed with Kromah, Surur, and Ahmed, in substance and in part,
the terms of such sales, including the price, weight, or size of the
rhinoceros horns, as well as payment, destination, and delivery
options. CS-1 also discussed with Cherif via phone calls and electronic
messages, in substance and in part, the terms of the sales, as well as
how to send payment for Rhinoceros horns from a United States bank
account located in New York, New York. On or about 16 March 2018, law
enforcement agents intercepted a package containing a Black Rhinoceros
horn sold by the defendants to CS-1 that was intended for a buyer
represented to be in New York, New York. From in or about March 2018
through in or about May 2018, the defendants offered to sell CS-1
additional Rhinoceros horns of varying weights, including horns weighing
up to approximately seven kilograms. On or about 17 July 2018, law
enforcement agents intercepted a package containing two Rhinoceros horns
sold by the defendants to CS-1 that were intended for a buyer
represented to be in New York, New York.
Separately, from at least in or about August 2018 through at least in or
about May 2019, Surur and Ahmed conspired to distribute and possess
with intent to distribute more than approximately 10 kilograms of heroin
to a buyer represented to be located in New York.
Surur is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife
trafficking and two counts of wildlife trafficking, which each carry a
maximum sentence of five years; one count of conspiracy to commit money
laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and one count
of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one
kilogram or more of heroin, which carries a maximum sentence of life
imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are
provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the
defendant will be determined by the judge.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In
addition, she thanked law enforcement authorities and conservation
partners in Uganda as well as the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Kenyan Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for their assistance in the investigation. Ms. Strauss
also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance, and noted that the investigation is
continuing.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex
Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sagar Ravi and Jarrod Schaeffer are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The
defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
See also...
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