Police recovered 120 smartphones, 10 laptops, two tablets, 18 assorted gas cylinders and a collection of mobile phone spare parts during an operation in Industrial Area, Nairobi County.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Makadara acted on intelligence regarding suspected stolen electronic devices and other property believed to be in the possession of a suspect.
The officers raided the suspect’s residence and recovered the assorted items, leading to his arrest.
Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said the suspect was placed in custody as detectives launched investigations to establish the source and rightful ownership of the recovered property.
“We are investigating how these gadgets and the other goods came to the house,” Mohamud said.
The recovered items have been documented as investigations continue, with detectives working to identify their owners and establish the circumstances under which they came into the suspect’s possession.
The operation comes amid intensified police efforts to tackle robbery and theft of mobile phones and other electronic devices in major urban centres.
Police investigations have previously established that some stolen electronic goods are smuggled into neighbouring countries, while others are refurbished and resold to unsuspecting buyers.
Authorities have consequently urged members of the public to avoid purchasing electronic goods without proof of purchase, including official receipts, as part of efforts to disrupt the market for stolen property.
Police say some victims of phone robberies have suffered serious injuries during attacks.
Elsewhere, two suspects have been arrested in Busia after police intercepted a vehicle allegedly ferrying uncustomed sugar into Kenya through an ungazetted route along the Kenya-Uganda border.
Officers from Busia Police Station flagged down a Toyota Probox in the Velasco area of Busia Township during patrols.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 30 bags of sugar, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, which police suspect had been smuggled into the country without payment of the required taxes.
Police said the sugar had been brought into Kenya through an unmanned entry point rather than a designated border crossing.
The vehicle and the consignment were taken to Busia Police Station, where they were booked as the two suspects remained in custody pending processing and arraignment.
The seizure comes as security agencies intensify patrols along the Kenya-Uganda border to curb smuggling and other forms of cross-border economic crime.
Authorities say the use of unofficial entry points by smugglers continues to undermine revenue collection, prompting increased surveillance and enforcement operations along the border.
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