DCI arrests 8 persons of interest linked to highway robbery targeting courier trucks
By Mustafa Juma, June 27, 2026The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has arrested eight persons of interest believed to be linked to a sophisticated criminal syndicate accused of carrying out a series of daring highway robberies targeting courier companies transporting goods across Kenya.
In a statement released on Friday, June 26, 2026, the DCI said the individuals were arrested following a coordinated operation involving detectives from the Operation Action Team (OAT), the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), and the DCI Nakuru Regional Office.
According to investigators, the group is connected to multiple robberies reported in Nakuru, Mai Mahiu, Kipkelion, and Londiani, in which courier companies lost goods worth millions of shillings in transit.
“Detectives from the DCI headquarters’ Operation Action Team (OAT) and the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), alongside their counterparts from the DCI Nakuru Regional Office, have apprehended eight suspects tied to a spate of brazen highway robberies targeting courier companies,” the DCI stated.
“These incidents have resulted in the loss of millions worth of goods in transit belonging to innocent Kenyans and have been reported at various police stations, including Mai Mahiu, Kipkelion, Londiani, and Nakuru.”
Fake DCI and KRA officers
Detectives said investigations uncovered an organised gang comprising about 15 members operating across Nairobi and Kisumu.
The individuals, according to DCI, posed as officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), using police radio communication equipment to make their operations appear legitimate.
According to the DCI, the gang would intercept trucks transporting goods, falsely identify themselves as law enforcement officers conducting inspections and order the drivers to comply.
The persons of interest would then escort the vehicles to isolated locations, unlawfully detain the drivers, and offload the cargo into waiting vehicles before disappearing.
Investigators believe the elaborate scheme enabled the syndicate to carry out several robberies without immediately raising suspicion.
Following forensic investigations and intelligence gathering, detectives arrested eight persons of interest allegedly linked to the criminal network.
The DCI said forensic evidence has linked the individuals to at least five reported robbery incidents.
Six arraigned in court
According to the DCI, six of the individuals were arraigned before the Nakuru Law Courts on Friday.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court released each of them on a bond of Ksh250,000 and scheduled the matter for mention on July 13, 2026.
Meanwhile, the remaining two persons of interest remain in police custody and are expected to be arraigned on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Hunt for more persons of interest
Detectives believe the eight arrests represent only part of the larger criminal enterprise.
The DCI said investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest additional members of the syndicate who remain at large.
Authorities are also pursuing further forensic and intelligence leads to establish the full extent of the group’s operations and recover stolen goods.
As investigations continue, the DCI has appealed to members of the public to provide any information that may assist in dismantling the remaining network.
The agency urged anyone with relevant information to report anonymously through its toll-free hotline, WhatsApp platform, or the #FichuaKwaDCI initiative.
Ugunja highway robbery
The incident comes hours after police officers on night patrol in Ugunja Sub-County on Thursday night, June 25, 2026, thwarted an attempted highway robbery along the Kisumu–Busia highway after the persons of interest fled upon spotting the officers.
Police say the incident occurred in the Simero area, where officers conducting a routine patrol found a group of individuals blocking the highway in what police believe was a planned ambush targeting motorists.
The persons of interest escaped into nearby bushes after noticing the approaching police officers, leaving behind two motorcycles allegedly intended for use in the robbery.