According to the DCI, H. led an international human trafficking syndicate in which dozens of men, women and children were smuggled. His arrest was a ‘high priority’. H. has been on the run for four years, trying to stay under the radar of authorities in the East African country.
He was arrested in Nairobi in mid-December. Based on intelligence obtained from Interpol worldwide, the National Central Bureau (NCB) in The Hague had warned Kenyan authorities on December 10 about the fugitive’s presence in Nairobi. He had been put on an Interpol ‘red list’.
‘Constipated’
„H. had been hiding indefinitely,” the DCI said. “He is associated with at least four different operations in which groups of Eritrean nationals were smuggled into Europe via Asia.” He also allegedly used forged documents.
H., also of Eritrean descent, was arrested on December 16 in a suburb of the capital and extradited a week later, on December 25, it was announced on Monday.
“It was ordered by our Ministry of the Interior. His presence in our country was contrary to national interests. Kenya is not a safe haven for international fugitives.”
According to Interpol, H. was wanted since 2017 and was taken into detention after landing at Schiphol. He will stand trial in our country for large-scale human smuggling.