A consignment of fake gold bars has been seized by detectives, from a strong room belonging to Swissport Transit Freight station, at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The fake gold bars concealed in 31 boxes received from Uganda, had been stored at the airport by unnamed shadowy businessmen, dealing in the lucrative gold business on the pretext that it was cargo awaiting transit to different destinations across the world.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the phoney traders settled on Swissport freight, since it provides ground and cargo handling services in major airports across the globe, to store their fake consignments so as to avoid detection by detectives.
“In a clever gold scam that has seen businessmen from across the world lose hundreds of millions of shillings, the cons have been luring unsuspecting investors to view the gold at the customs offices at JKIA, the region’s preferred international aviation hub,” said DCI.
Read: DPP Haji Denies Seeking to Withdraw Sh23 Million Fake Gold Case Against Jared Otieno
“Once at the airport, a prospective buyer is lured to Swissport’s strong room, where what appears to be genuine gold bars are displayed. The client is advised that once the transaction is completed, the gold will be shipped to any destination of his choice across the globe.”
DCI states that immediately the buyer is convinced that the transaction is above board and makes payments including customs and shipping costs, that marks the beginning of his tribulations.
Several suspected fraudsters who have been acquiring posh premises in high-end estates, guarded round the clock by police officers, are now under sleuths’ watch.
“It is in these upmarket establishments, where they perfected the art of international organized gold scam fraud, by luring unsuspecting genuine investors from across the world to part with millions of money in exchange of fake gold,” added DCI.
It is said that the fraudsters had changed tacts, and are now opting for banking services to store the fake gold.
