A Kenyan court ordered police Thursday to process the extradition of four suspected drug traffickers to the United States, amid concerns of east Africa’s growing importance as a smuggling hub.
The four — two Kenyans, an Indian and a Pakistani — were arrested last week with 98 packets of suspected heroin, and were subject to an Interpol “red notice” from the US for their arrest.
“Kenya is under a duty to cooperate because international crime has hurt Kenya a lot,” magistrate Maxwell Gicheru told the court in the port city of Mombasa.
The four, who were remanded in custody while police process the extradition request, are due in court again on December 1.
Two, Baktash Akasha Abdalla and Ibrahim Akasha Abdalla, are members of a Kenyan family linked to several drug trafficking trials.
Their wealthy father, Ibrahim Abdalla Akasha, was gunned down in Amsterdam in 2000, after fleeing Kenya where he was sought in connection with the seizure of several tonnes of hashish.
The two other suspects are Vijaygiri Anandgiri Goswami, an Indian, and Kulam Hussein, from Pakistan.
