Two persons of interest have been arrested after detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) recovered more than 900 stolen mobile phones during a targeted operation in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
According to an X post by DCI on Monday, January 26, 2026, the arrests followed an intelligence-led operation conducted along Charles Rubia Street near the busy Buscar bus stage. Detectives intercepted two packages that were being prepared for transit out of the country.
Upon inspection, officers discovered a large consignment of mobile phones believed to have been stolen from unsuspecting members of the public and retail phone shops across Nairobi. The recovered devices, estimated at over 900, were concealed inside the packages.
“Upon opening the packages, the officers were greeted by a shocking sight: an assortment of stolen mobile phones, numbering approximately 900,” DCI highlighted.
The DCI described the discovery as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to disrupt organised mobile phone theft networks operating within the city.
Links to wider phone theft syndicate
Preliminary investigations indicate that the two persons of interest may be connected to a broader inter-country phone theft syndicate. Detectives believe the group targets victims in Nairobi before trafficking the stolen devices to neighbouring countries for resale.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing, with a focus on identifying additional individuals involved in the network.
“Preliminary investigations have revealed that the two suspects, who were unable to provide a satisfactory account for the mobile phones in their possession, are part of a larger phone theft syndicate, involved in stealing phones from innocent members of the public, as well as from mobile phone shops, and selling them in neighbouring countries,” DCI said.
The suspects were taken to Nairobi Central Police Station, where they are undergoing processing as detectives continue with inquiries. The operation follows another recent raid in which more than 150 stolen mobile phones were recovered.
The DCI has reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at curbing mobile phone theft and has urged the public to report suspicious activity through its anonymous reporting channels.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) remains committed in the fight against mobile phone theft, with continuous intelligence-led crackdowns across the country,” DCI stated.
