In a joint operation carried out by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, a travel network of terrorists preying on insecure border points of the three East African countries was detected.

Sponsored by International Police Agency, INTERPOL, Operation Simba III was carried between March 18 and 28 leading to the seizure of explosives, drugs and arrest of fugitives. 

“Operation Simba III demonstrates the importance for countries to use INTERPOL’s wide range of criminal databases in strategic places like border crossings,” said Gregory Hinds, INTERPOL’s Counter-Terrorism Director.

“Authorities at the Mutukula border point of Uganda siezed some 25 kg of ammonium nitrate and other materials used by terrorists to manufacture improvised explosive devices,” read a Tuesday, 20 April report by INTERPOL.

The global police agency also mounted 4.6 million checks at the border crossings against its database leading to the identification of fugitives wanted for terrorism and other crimes. 

According to Interpol, seven individuals wanted for crimes including fraud, murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery and financial crimes were detected, triggering investigations in several countries.

In Kenya, a woman was arrested at Moi International Airport carrying 5.3 kg of heroin worth over Ksh 14 million. 

The intelligence community claimed she got to Kenya through an elaborate drug trafficking route from South Africa. 

Through Operation Simba III, an individual wanted for crimes against humanity at the ICC was also arrested while fleeing arrest.