Police have arrested 18 Chinese nationals following a raid on apartments in Nairobi’s Kilimani area linked to a suspected international cyber fraud syndicate.
The operation was conducted by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in collaboration with officials from the Chinese Embassy.
According to investigators, the suspects are believed to have targeted bank accounts and victims outside Kenya before routing the proceeds of the alleged fraud through the country and later withdrawing the funds.
During the operation, detectives recovered 39 Chinese passports and seven Malaysian passports, alongside computers, laptops, mobile phones, internet routers and other electronic equipment believed to have been used in the suspected cybercrime operation.
Police also seized KSh293,000 in cash and 22 banknotes of 20,000 Malagasy ariary, all of which have been secured as exhibits.
Authorities said several suspects managed to escape during the raid and are being pursued.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects entered Kenya within the past month from China, Malaysia, Cambodia and Madagascar.
The 18 suspects are being held at Kilimani Police Station as detectives continue with investigations ahead of their possible arraignment in court.
Police said efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest the remaining members of the suspected syndicate while examining the recovered electronic devices to establish the full scope of the alleged fraud network.
