DCI’s Operations Support Unit detectives have nabbed eight suspects in a USD 439 trillion mega fraud targeting two foreign businessmen from the Netherlands.
In a statement on Wednesday, DCI said they conducted an operation at a warehouse located in Nairobi where several boxes stashed with fake US dollars, suspected stolen jungle fatigues for APS officers, military boots, customs reflector jackets among other recoveries were seized.
“In this orchestrated fraudulent scheme, the foreigners were contacted through a WhatsApp call by a number registered in the name ‘Canopy Shield Agencies’, by a caller who informed them that their consignment of 40 pallets had been held at the Kenya Customs Warehouse pending duty fee payment of USD 36,000,” DCI stated.
According to the agency the foreign nationals landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) hoping to clear the required duty fee at once.
“Allegedly, the complainants had entered into a cash-on-transit deal involving USD 439 trillion destined for Dubai from the Central Bank of Togo. The caller who posed as a customs officer convinced the complainants that the first batch of 40 pallets contained USD 4 billion and that they were being flown through Kenya to facilitate their clearance and smooth entry to Dubai,” DCI said.
Unbeknownst to the fraudsters that detectives had gotten wind of the ongoings, a contact person led the two foreigners at the warehouse where the purported consignment was being held.
The DCU detectives then stormed the eight suspects as they got busy around the warehouse convincing their targets to part with the USD 36,000.
The eight include; Moses Otieno, Peter Aura, Brian Waweru, John Kalombo, Peter Kisanya, Noah Ouma, Charity Njeri and Mercy Cheptoo.
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