Nairobi News

HashtagHustle

DCI warns foreign investors of Nairobi’s notorious fake gold merchants


The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has warned foreigners of fake gold merchants.

DCI boss George Kinoti urged foreign Embassies and High Commissions to alert their nationals coming to Kenya for gold business.

Kinoti told foreigners interested in gold business to first contact the Department of Mines and Geology for guidelines regarding buying and selling of gold and other valuable metals.

“We urge the Embassies/High Commissions to advise their nationals coming in for business to be apprised of con business of gold going on in the country and first contact the Department of Mines and Geology for procedure that pertains to buying &selling of Gold & other Precious metals,” said DCI.

Kinoti said unsuspecting foreign nationals have lost millions to gold scammers in the recent weeks.

“The gold scam has now reached alarming levels as unsuspecting foreign nationals are being swindled large amounts of money by fraudsters,” he says.

The DCI also advised Kenyans and foreigners to ensure that they conduct thorough background checks on persons they intend to engage in the gold trade.

Last month, detectives arrested six suspects with 50 kilograms of fake gold in Nairobi’s Kilimani area.

14 other suspects were also recently arrested in a crackdown against fake gold and counterfeit currency rackets in the capital.

The suspects, arrested in a house in Langata, were in possession of 100 kilos of fake gold and millions of counterfeit United States dollars.