The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has apprehended 11 suspects on allegations of high-level motor vehicle registration fraud.
In a statement, the directorate revealed that the culprits were apprehended following an audit of the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) systems.
The audit uncovered back office accounts, belonging to the suspects, that were used to register motor vehicles fraudulently.
Consequently, DCI launched a manhunt for the culprits arresting the main suspect at a house in Lavington, where he was running the illegal operation.
According to sleuths, the suspect had hacked into Integrated Management System (TIMS) allowing him to register vehicles through backdoor accounts.
“In the months of March and April alone, 47 vehicles had their chassis changed while 54 were fraudulently added into the system, laying bare the extent of the fraud perpetuated by the criminals,” DCI stated, disclosing the extent of the operation.
“The suspect who is not an employee of NTSA had major back office roles and was in control of several other fictitious user accounts in the NTSA system.”
Detectives are also investigating how a deactivated account belonging to a former ICT officer at NTSA was reactivated and was being used for back office transactions, several months after he had tendered his resignation in July 2022.
Other individuals detained by detectives include three NTSA employees and one KRA employee.
Additionally, the sleuths grabbed 6 others suspected of being involved in the syndicate.
The directorate claims that the fraud operation involves several officials from the NTSA as well as KRA.
The suspects face several counts including obtaining registration by false pretense, unauthorized access contrary to section 14(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act, access with intent to commit further offence and unauthorized interference all under the same act.
