- A Land Rover Discovery displayed at a car yard in Nairobi became a crime scene after a nationwide crackdown revealed its past
- An operation led by DCI and Interpol discovered that the luxury SUV, KCY 001J, had been stolen in the UK
- The discovery saved an innocent buyer who would have found himself in jail for handling stolen property
Detectives have recovered a luxury Land Rover Discovery reported stolen in the United Kingdom during a nationwide crackdown targeting motor vehicle theft syndicates operating in Kenya and across international borders.
Source: Facebook
The grey vehicle, bearing registration number KCY 001J, was recovered from a motor vehicle yard along Nairobi County's Northern Bypass during Operation Carback II, a multi-agency enforcement operation coordinated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
DCI Checks Over 260k Vehicles
According to the DCI, a check against the INTERPOL database established that the vehicle had been reported stolen in the UK.
The Land Rover was subsequently impounded and escorted to DCI headquarters for further processing and investigations.
Kenya joined other INTERPOL member countries in the simultaneous operation coordinated under Project Drive Out, in collaboration with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).
The initiative targeted organised motor vehicle crime networks, seeking to identify and recover stolen vehicles and vehicle parts while strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies across borders.
The DCI said detectives physically inspected more than 1,800 vehicles and checked over 260,000 against the INTERPOL database during the operation.
Inspections targeted motor vehicle yards, showrooms, spare-parts shops, garages, motor vehicle bazaars and highway checkpoints.
Mercedes-Benz With Dodgy Registration
Beyond the recovery of the Land Rover, detectives uncovered other vehicles whose registration details raised suspicion.
In Thika West Sub-County, officers found a white Mercedes-Benz Kompressor bearing registration number KBZ 325J.
According to the DCI, the registration number belongs to an orange Suzuki station wagon, prompting questions about the Mercedes-Benz's identity and registration.
The matter was referred to the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer for further investigations.
Forklift With Altered Chassis Number Recovered
In Embakasi, detectives recovered a forklift bearing registration number KAD 132K, which the DCI said was found to belong to a crawler.
Investigators also noted that the forklift's chassis number had been obliterated, raising further suspicion.
The matter was referred to DCI Embakasi for further investigations and appropriate action.
Operation Carback II built on a similar operation conducted in 2024 and highlighted the importance of intelligence-led enforcement and international information-sharing in identifying and disrupting motor vehicle theft networks.
Investigations into the recovered vehicles and the registration irregularities are ongoing, according to the agency's statement.
Source: TUKO.co.ke