Members of a dangerous international gang operating in Kenya were on Monday night busted by police detectives from the Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) and the Flying Squad.
The group, which is involved in high-end cybercrime has been terrorising banks, SACCOs and supermarkets by installing malware in the various institutions' systems then illegally syphoning huge amounts of money.
Among those apprehended included a former police officer identified as Calvin Otieno Ogalo, who is said to be the mastermind of the dubious operations.
Mr Ogalo allegedly hacked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) system during the 2013 General Election.
According to a security report published by the Daily Nation, Ogalo is also feared to be planning a similar hack into electoral body's system after a Russian national joined the syndicate.
"There are fears that Ogalo and his network might be targeting the IEBC in the coming August 2017 elections after a Russian male joined the network," the report notes.
The group is reportedly working with relatives of politicians in the country to gain access to various classified systems.
Ogalo previously worked at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations before he was dismissed in 2012. He also worked at a local bank and sources close to him describe him as an IT guru.
The 35-year-old is facing several cases of banking fraud and the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU) suspects that he was involved in the theft of Sh50 million from the Kenya Police Sacco.
A Kenya Revenue Authority employee and two American citizens were also apprehended during the police raid. The new suspects are now among 16 others in police custody for transnational crimes — that include cybercrime and drug trafficking.
The hackers are said to have invaded the systems of the KRA and illegally registered vehicles in order to evade taxes.
They are said to be working with foreigners based in Spain, France, Moldova, and Belgium.
