Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) apprehended over 31 Kenyans believed to have been involved in a gold racketeering scam against foreign nationals on Tuesday.
According to the DCI, the 31 suspects scammed two Dubai-based businessmen over USD39,900 (Ksh5.1 million) under the guise that they could supply them with real gold.
The detectives also revealed that they believed the suspects were part of a scamming syndicate operating in Nairobi's posh estates of Runda as well as Ridgeways and Industrial Area.
"After days of scrupulous pursuit for notorious city fraudsters who defrauded two Dubai-based businessmen over USD 39,900 in a fake gold scam, DCI Operations detectives have rounded up 31 suspects connected to the scamming web in Runda, Ridgeways, and Industrial Area parts of Nairobi," the DCI statement read in part.
The suspects are reported to have convinced the foreign nationals that they were genuine dealers, only to pass off fake metals like gold disguised as genuine. They were further accused of coating off-base metals to hoodwink foreign nationals.
"Masquerading as genuine dealers in the precious metal, the suspects had on diverse dates in September 2024 paraded coated off-base metals to hoodwink and lure the two foreigners into a business deal, thereafter holing up with the thousands of dollars," the statement added.
Additionally, according to the sleuths, they were forced to launch a swift and coordinated crackdown in order to bring to book the suspects who have in the past evaded their dragnets.
Consequently, the operation also saw the seizure of other key assets believed to be used by the suspects to plan their scamming syndicate.
DCI revealed that they obtained four motor vehicles, metal boxes containing fake gold nuggets, and radio cassettes. Also seized were fake stamps and authorisation certificates for various government agencies and flags.
Detectives working on the case noted that they found out that among the apprehended suspects was a notorious fake dealer with already two cases on the same trade in court.
"The operation also saw the seizure of four motor vehicles, metal boxes containing fake gold nuggets and bars, several radio sets, fake stamps and authorization certificates for various ministries in the government, branded reflector jackets, Kenya and East African flags among others, all which were processed and secured at a police exhibit store," the sleuths revealed.
Meanwhile, the Dubai-based nationals are reported to have only realised that they were being scammed after making many trips to Kenya.
They are said to have grown impatient when their order failed to be exported, as they had agreed earlier. That is when they reported the matter to the DCI who quickly started following the trail of the suspects.
