Four suspects linked with the rampant disappearance of mobile phones within the City were Friday arrested by detectives in an operation.
This follows an increase in cases of mobile snatching and stealing.
Whenever the gadgets are stolen or robbed, they are taken to a shop downtown for repairs sent to neighboring countries, and sold to unsuspecting buyers.
In some cases the victims were killed in violent robberies, police say.
Police said Malumasi Aisha and Agaba Anestus Majuni both from neighboring Uganda were arrested alongside Sarah Njeri and her sister Mary Wangui in an intelligence-led operation conducted by detectives within the busy Nairobi Central Business District.
Malumasi, who was the first to be cornered, was found with a parcel of 13 smartphones believed to be destined for the black market in Uganda.
She then led the sleuths to shop E17 located at Munyu Business Center, where her accomplices Sarah Wangari and Mary Wangui were busy receiving other stolen mobile phones.
After a brief but detailed interrogation, the miscreants hurriedly led the detectives to a fourth suspect, Agaba Majuni, who was waiting for the package destined for Uganda at the Simba Coach bus station.
The detectives from the elite Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau based at the DCI Nairobi Regional Command have cast their nets wider for more suspects in what is believed to be an elaborate syndicate sneaking stolen mobile phones to neighboring countries.
Mobile phone thugs have found it increasingly difficult to ply their trade in the country, owing to the state-of-the-art technology being deployed by our Cybercrime detectives based at the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, in arresting mobile phone thieves.
Police have in the past charged those arrested with serious crimes including robbery violence and murder.
A major operation on the cartel is ongoing.
Police have since appealed to those whose mobile phones may have been stolen or robbed to always report their cases. Dozens of the gadgets are lying at the Central police station waiting for identification.
