Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives on Thursday, August 3, apprehended 11 suspects caught dismantling government vehicles.
The arrests took place at a garage located in Nairobi, a well-known site for hosting old vehicles.
Speaking to the media following the arrest, Makadara Deputy Police Commander, Dennis Omuko, emphasized that the agency is closely monitoring the case due to alleged involvement of certain national and county government officials.
Omuko added that the suspects have been detained at Industrial Area Police Station, where they are being interrogated.
The authorities plan to arraign the suspects in court once investigations are concluded. The recovered vehicles, consisting of four trucks, one pick-up, and a fire department truck owned by the Nairobi County Government, were found cut into pieces.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspects had planned to sell the disassembled parts to secondary scrap metal dealers within and outside the country.
Officers from Industrial Area Police Station also towed four personal trucks and detained them as part of an investigation to verify their registration.
"When we opened one of the trucks while at the station, we found a truck full of pieces of steel that had already been cut," the Deputy Police Commander revealed.
The police boss noted that the officers staged the raid based on a tip-off from members of the public who grew suspicious of activities at the garage.
The scrap metal business is governed by the Scrap Metal Act of 2014, which defines scrap metal as any discarded or wasted metal or alloy, whether ferrous or non-ferrous.
According to the Act, scrap metal dealers must meet specific requirements, including registration with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and obtaining a license from the county government.
The Act also mandates that dealers maintain records of all their scrap metal transactions, both purchases and sales, and report any suspicious activities to the police. These regulations are in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the scrap metal trade.
