On Thursday, May 29, two individuals were apprehended in Eldoret Town due to their alleged participation in a mobile phone hacking and resale scheme.
Acting on a public tip-off, officers from the National Police Service (NPS), in collaboration with M-KOPA liaison personnel, conducted a raid on a phone repair shop located near the Eldoret Shuttle booking office.
During the operation, the officers discovered the suspects engaged in flashing 28 various mobile phones, including some that belonged to M-KOPA.
According to the police, the two individuals are suspected to be part of a larger syndicate involved in flashing stolen or credit-purchased phones to evade payment responsibilities.
Throughout the operation, several electronic devices believed to be utilized in the illegal activities were seized.
These items included two HP laptops, two CPUs, seven hard drives, one Pandora Box, one dongle, and one JTAG device.
The police have stated that this equipment is capable of modifying IMEI numbers and circumventing phone security measures.
The suspects are currently detained at Eldoret Police Station while forensic investigations are ongoing.
The National Police Service is encouraging the public to stay vigilant and report any illegal activities to the nearest police station or via toll-free numbers 999, 911, 112, and #FichuakwaDCI (0800 722 203).
“The NPS cautions the public against purchasing suspiciously inexpensive mobile devices from dishonest traders or engaging in fraudulent activities,” the statement indicated.
The arrest of these two individuals occurred just two weeks after six other suspects were detained, along with various stolen mobile phones recovered during an operation in Nairobi.
The police reported that they also confiscated Sh614,000 from the suspects, which is believed to be the proceeds of criminal activity.
The recovered mobile phones were stolen from different areas of the city and are valued at Sh3 million, as stated by Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Sedah.
He further mentioned that they are in pursuit of additional suspects related to this crime.
The operation remains active.
