Ten Individuals Apprehended in Gold Scam Bust, Including Police Officer.
Operation Uncovers Elaborate Gold Scam
An extensive operation conducted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday resulted in the arrest of ten suspects, one of whom is a police officer. This operation, initiated last Thursday, successfully prevented a Tunisian national from falling victim to a fraudulent gold purchase amounting to Ksh.1 billion.
The swift intervention by DCI officers, led by DCI Director Amin Mohammed, uncovered a complex scam operation at a premises situated in the Garden Estate area of Nairobi. The scammers had transformed this location into a sophisticated office, where they used counterfeit gold and fake dollar bills to deceive unsuspecting businessmen. Among the detained individuals is a police officer previously affiliated with the DCI offices in Kitui. There is strong suspicion that this officer played a role in shielding the scam artists.
Scammers’ Sophisticated Tactics Revealed
DCI Amin Mohammed explained, “The operation originated in Tunisia when they claimed they could sell gold to the victim. When he grew suspicious and reported the matter to us…”
The victim arrived in the country around 3 a.m. last Friday. After an hour of waiting without anyone to receive him, a taxi driver convinced him that he would safely reach his intended destination. He was taken to the Ngara area of Nairobi and held incommunicado until Thursday, when he was summoned to the Garden Estate office.
To gain access to the purported gold, the victim was required to make an initial payment of Ksh.400 million. After smelting and verifying a sample, he was to pay the remaining Ksh.600 million. However, the victim did not act alone.
Detectives, supported by the DCI’s tactical unit, swiftly raided the office, leading to the apprehension of ten suspects. Two individuals, one suspected to be armed, managed to escape by damaging a shade net fence that had been erected to enhance the privacy and height of the perimeter wall.
DCI Amin remarked, “This is a formidable cartel known for dropping influential names to intimidate law enforcement, and they operate with great sophistication.”
DCI is now investigating a sitting Senator, two sitting Members of Parliament, and high-ranking officials within the National Police Service (NPS), who made frantic attempts to secure the release of the suspects.
Deceptive Roles and Massive Losses
The fraudulent operation also involved the use of counterfeit currency concealed in metal containers within one of the rooms on the premises.
“Numerous victims have suffered significant financial losses, and these criminals were on the brink of making our country, particularly the Kilimani area, the epicenter of their illicit activities. However, we are closing in on them,” added Amin.
The scammers had established fully-equipped offices, which they used as legitimate addresses for their multi-million-dollar deals. Some of the scammers posed as various government agents.
“Some pretended to be police officers, others posed as officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), and some even impersonated customs officers, complete with fraudulent documentation that we have since uncovered,” noted Amin.
The seized items, including a firearm, phones, and a substantial quantity of metal boxes used to store counterfeit money and gold, have been transported to the DCI headquarters.
The suspects are slated to appear in court on Monday, where they will face charges related to their alleged involvement in this extensive scam operation