One arrested and fake gold seized in Syokimau

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Detectives on Monday arrested one suspect and seized 15 boxes containing fake gold cargo.

According to the detectives, the fake cargo was meant to defraud a foreigner of millions of shillings.

Police said they had been tipped off about the go-down that also had almost a tonne of assorted shoes which were also being used to con unsuspecting gold dealers.

A caretaker of the premise was arrested as the hunt for the real owners goes on.

Police said they had been tipped off that the cargo was being used as bait for investors.

“This is where the scammers bring investors to show them the boxes, saying they contain gold for export, and later demand money,” an investigator at the scene said.

It was then that a raid was staged and seized the 15 well-sealed boxes, which had metals and cement inside.

The boxes shown to the investors contain dummy gold, while the rest are fake ones.

DCI boss Mohamed Amin said they are investigating the origin and owners of the cargo.

It comes as more foreigners are flocking to Nairobi to lodge complaints of being scammed of money in fake gold deals.

Amin said dozens of cases are pending in court and warned foreigners against falling into the trap of scammers.

For instance, US businessman Seth Bernstein was scammed Sh138 million in a fake gold deal.

“Kenya does not have such a huge amount of gold. Let investors do their research well before moving to invest,” he said.

The DCI sounded the alarm over rising cases where foreigners are conned by Kenyans operating with fake gold bars.

The DCI has also urged Embassies and High Commissions to advise their nationals coming in for business.

They should first contact the Department of Mines and Geology for the procedure on buying and selling gold and other precious metals, the directorate said.

Kenya has become notorious in the gold trade business.

A recent Al Jazeera four-part series investigating Africa’s largest gold smugglers and money launderers stated a Kenyan has been running a similar scheme in Zimbabwe. He has, however, denied the claims.

Most gold deals in Kenya involve fake ones, officials say.     

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