Detectives have impounded a Land Rover Discovery stolen in the United Kingdom in what they describe as a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational motor vehicle crime.
The recovery follows a week-long, multi-agency crackdown dubbed Operation Carback II, targeting local and transnational motor vehicle theft syndicates.
During the operation, detectives raided a motor vehicle yard along Nairobi County’s Northern Bypass, where they seized the luxurious vehicle bearing registration number KCY 001J.
A check against the INTERPOL database established that the vehicle had been reported stolen in the United Kingdom. It was subsequently impounded and escorted to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Headquarters for further processing and investigations.
The operation, which concluded on Friday, was spearheaded by the DCI through its INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Nairobi (NCB-Nairobi) and the Operations Directorate, in collaboration with other DCI directorates and key national law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
According to DCI, Kenya joined other INTERPOL member countries in the simultaneous global operation, coordinated under Project Drive Out in collaboration with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).
“The initiative aimed to disrupt organised motor vehicle crime networks, identify and recover stolen vehicles and vehicle parts, and strengthen cross-border law enforcement cooperation”, said DCI.
The multi-agency team brought together the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Police Service and Administration Police Service.
A similar operation conducted in 2024 delivered a nationwide enforcement sweep, with detectives physically inspecting more than 1,800 vehicles and checking over 260,000 vehicles against the INTERPOL database.
The teams were drawn from across Nairobi, Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western, Coast and Rift Valley regions, targeting motor vehicle yards, showrooms, spare-parts shops, garages, motor vehicle bazaars and highway checkpoints.
Along Nairobi County’s Northern Bypass, detectives raided a motor vehicle yard and recovered a grey Land Rover Discovery bearing registration number KCY 001J.
In Thika West Sub-County, detectives uncovered a white Mercedes-Benz Kompressor fitted with registration number KBZ 325J, which belongs to an orange Suzuki station wagon.
The discovery raised questions about the vehicle’s identity and registration, prompting further investigations by the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer.
Meanwhile, in Embakasi, detectives recovered a forklift bearing registration number KAD 132K, which was found to belong to a crawler. The discovery of an obliterated chassis number raised further suspicion, leading to the referral of the matter to DCI Embakasi for further investigations and appropriate action.
“These findings underscore the critical role of intelligence-led operations, coordinated enforcement and international information-sharing in detecting, disrupting and dismantling motor vehicle theft syndicates operating within Kenya and across international borders”, the DCI assured.
It said it remained committed to working with national, regional and international partners to combat motor vehicle theft, recover stolen property and bring those involved in the criminal networks to justice.
