In a significant breakthrough, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have successfully cracked a major international mobile phone theft syndicate, arresting seven suspects and recovering over 150 stolen devices. The operation targeted a sophisticated network operating across Nairobi and Kampala, with the phones destined for Uganda’s black market.
The Operation
Led by the DCI’s Operation Support Unit (OSU), the intelligence-driven operation focused on key hotspots in Nairobi, particularly the Shauri Moyo area and the Central Business District (CBD). This crackdown followed mounting public pressure and increased reports of violent muggings and phone snatching across the city’s estates. The detectives spent weeks surveilling the syndicate before executing the raid, which resulted in the recovery of 150 mobile phones, 16 tablets, and 6 laptops.
The core of the operation revolved around Nambajwe Zaina, a Ugandan national and the central figure in this transnational crime network. Zaina, described as a key logistical figure, operated out of her Shauri Moyo residence, where detectives uncovered 75 high-end iPhones and Samsung devices, already packed and ready for export. Police sources revealed that she acted as a conduit between local thieves and buyers in Uganda, facilitating a seamless pipeline of stolen goods. “Thieves would steal the phones in the morning, deliver them to her by noon, and by evening, the devices would be on a bus heading to Uganda,” said a DCI official.
Among those arrested were several accomplices, including shop owners in Nairobi’s CBD, who used their businesses as fronts for the illegal operation. One of the suspects, James Mwangi Gachoka, was apprehended at his store in Tusker House, where 19 stolen phones were discovered hidden in a false ceiling.
Addressing Nairobi’s Phone Snatching Crisis
This bust has brought some relief to Nairobi residents, who have been battling the rise in “phone snatching” incidents, particularly in the wake of a surge in violent street crime. While this operation represents a major win, DCI officials have warned that the crackdown is far from over. “We will be targeting the technicians who flash these phones next,” a statement from the DCI read. “Without these individuals, the stolen phones would be useless.”
The recovered devices are now being cataloged at the DCI headquarters. Police have called on anyone who has reported stolen phones over the past month to visit their offices with proof of ownership. As for Zaina and her accomplices, they are facing multiple charges related to handling stolen goods and conspiracy, with authorities expected to request denied bail due to the cross-border nature of the crime.
