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Detectives yesterday arrested one suspect and recovered 15 boxes containing fake gold cargo that was meant to defraud a foreigner of millions of shillings.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers attached to the Operations Support Unit (OSU) said they had been tipped off about the godown that also had almost a ton of assorted shoes.

The 15 boxes were found to have metals and cement inside but the detectives said other boxes with fake gold would be shown to the prospective buyers.

The caretaker of the premise was also arrested even as the detectives launched a manhunt for the real owners.

Preliminary investigations showed that the place was being used to lure unsuspecting businessmen, especially foreigners, before defrauding them of their cash.

Our probe has revealed that this is where the scammers bring investors to show them the boxes saying they contain gold for export and later demand money,” an OSU detective told People Daily.

Among the issue under investigations is the origin of the cargo with the DCI boss Mohammed Amin saying they had already obtained crucial leads.

Dozens of foreigners have been defrauded in such fake gold deals with recent reports indicating that even senior government officials were involved in the scam.

Several other cases are pending before court with one of the suspects being an Immigration Department official who was found to be colluding with the scammers.

As a result, the DCI has also urged Embassies and High Commissions to advise their nationals coming in for business, adding that they should first contact the Department of Mines and Geology for procedure that pertains to buying and selling of gold and other precious metals.

A fortnight ago, a Cameroonian was arrested for defrauding an Iraqi businessman of Sh8.2 million in another fake 10kg gold deal in Nairobi. DCI detectives arrested Rahim Taku from his Kilimani residence as he was waiting for an extra Sh10 million in US dollars to deliver the alleged gold. The foreigner was on May 30 arraigned for obtaining money by false pretences.