In a significant breakthrough, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have apprehended five suspects involved in a fake gold syndicate that defrauded two foreign nationals of more than Ksh15 million.
The scam, which also involved firearms and ammunition, saw the criminals tricking the victims into believing they could supply them with 550 kilograms of gold.
According to a statement from the DCI, the suspects were arrested at different locations after they managed to deceive two businessmen, one from Romania and the other from Switzerland.
The fraudsters convinced the victims that the gold they were selling was stored in a warehouse at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and was awaiting clearance.
They promised the businessmen that the gold would be ready for transportation by January 20, 2025, once they made the payment.
Unfortunately, the victims handed over the full amount of Ksh15,504,000 (USD 120,000), only for the suspects to delay and lead them in circles.
The scam was reported to authorities on January 29, 2025, when the victims filed a complaint at Wilson Airport Police Station.
They claimed that they had been approached by a contact person who informed them that a prime suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, was involved in the sale of the gold.
Following this, DCI detectives conducted an operation, raiding one of the offices, where they arrested two of the suspects and seized crucial evidence linked to the syndicate.
As the investigation continued, the remaining suspects were traced and arrested on February 2, 2025, at Mount Kenya Wildlife Estate, located in Nanyuki’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
During the arrest, authorities recovered two Glock pistols, 96 rounds of ammunition, a pair of handcuffs, and other items.
The firearms and ammunition were immediately seized, along with a silver Toyota Landcruiser V8, a laptop, a MacBook, six expired mineral licenses, and various other documents.
It was later confirmed by the Firearms Licensing Board that the individual found with a firearm in their possession was not authorized to carry weapons.
Authorities then escorted the two suspects to a residence in Riverside Pearl, Kileleshwa, Nairobi, where additional items were discovered, including three 9mm tracer bullets, 14 smoke grenades, a bulletproof vest, and various seals and stamps linked to the syndicate.
Two of the suspects were presented in court, where they were granted custodial orders, while the remaining three are expected to face court today.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the authorities have vowed to continue pursuing all leads related to the criminal group.
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