A police operation in Diani has led to the arrest of three suspects believed to be part of a sophisticated counterfeiting syndicate circulating fake currency across Mombasa and other coastal towns.
The suspects — Fadhili Lawrence, Atemba Lawrence, and Electrine Okwako — were arrested after detectives followed forensic intelligence to a hidden location allegedly used for producing and distributing counterfeit money.
During the raid, officers recovered Sh1.7 million in fake Sh1,000 notes, concealed inside a laptop bag wrapped with a white ribbon labelled “CBK 1000”, an imitation tactic meant to mimic genuine Central Bank currency packaging.
Police say the trio are key players in a wider criminal network responsible for pushing counterfeit cash into the local economy.
“The suspects are key operators in a larger criminal network distributing counterfeit money along the coastal region,” police confirmed.
The three are currently in custody and undergoing processing ahead of their expected court appearance. Investigators say the operation is still active as efforts intensify to trace and arrest other members of the syndicate who are still at large.
