Undercover Operation in Nairobi Brings Down Former Afghan General

Former Afghan general and politician Abdul Zahir Qadir was arrested in Nairobi in April 2025 after travelling to Kenya for what he believed was a meeting with international drug traffickers, only to find that the meeting had been arranged by undercover US agents.

Qadir, a former First Deputy Speaker of Afghanistan’s National Assembly, is facing trial in the United States on charges linked to drug trafficking and weapons smuggling. His arrest followed a two-year investigation by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from Kenyan authorities.

US court filings in New York show that investigators began monitoring Qadir in 2024 through confidential sources who had established relationships with him. One source, who had known Qadir for more than a decade, began discussions with him about supplying heroin and methamphetamine to the United States.

The discussions later expanded to military-grade weapons, including assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. Prosecutors allege that the weapons were intended to protect drug shipments.

In one conversation, Qadir reportedly said, “I’m ready to play any kind of game that makes money,” as he presented himself as a major supplier within Afghanistan’s illicit trade.

Investigators obtained further evidence in 2024 when a methamphetamine sample was delivered to Johannesburg. South African authorities later confirmed that the substance was genuine.

By early 2025, the negotiations had shifted to East Africa. Qadir reportedly told his contacts that delivering weapons to Kenya or Tanzania would not be difficult. The discussions led to his trip to Nairobi, where he was arrested at a hotel in April 2025. He was later extradited to the United States in July 2026 after failing in a legal challenge against his extradition.

Kenyan courts ruled that international conventions provided a legal basis for the extradition, despite the absence of a bilateral extradition treaty between Kenya and the United States. US prosecutors have charged Qadir with three offences: conspiracy to import narcotics, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess such weapons. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The case involved cooperation between Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, as well as the DEA and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Qadir previously served as a commander of border forces and held a senior position in Afghanistan’s National Assembly. His prosecution follows allegations that he used his connections and influence to facilitate international drug and weapons trafficking.

The trial in New York will determine the outcome of the charges against him.