Police in Diani, Kwale County, have arrested three suspects believed to be involved in a counterfeiting ring that has been flooding Mombasa and nearby areas with fake cash.
In a statement by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday, the suspects, Fadhili Lawrence, Atemba Lawrence, and Electrine Okwako, were apprehended after police followed forensic leads to a secret hideout in Diani, where the illegal trade was reported to thrive.
Inside, detectives found Sh1.7 million in counterfeit money.
“The fake Sh1,000 notes were hidden in a laptop bag with a white ribbon labelled “CBK 1000,” a misleading detail meant to suggest authenticity,” reads the statement.
According to initial investigations, the three suspects are key cogs in a broader criminal network believed to be distributing fake cash along the coast.
The three are currently in custody, being processed before their court appearance, as officers continue the search for other members of the syndicate who are still at large.
In August 2025, DCI detectives arrested two women in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area with fake currency valued at Sh70 million.
In a statement on Friday, the DCI said the operation was based on solid intelligence that led officers to the suspects.
“Acting on solid intelligence, detectives conducted a well-coordinated operation in Upper Hill where they arrested the female suspects,” the DCI said.
A search revealed bundles of $100 (Sh12,912) denomination notes hidden in a handbag.
A further count at the DCI Nairobi Area headquarters confirmed the amount to be $560,000 (Sh72,312,128), all in counterfeit currency.
The arrests have raised concerns about the existence of a wider criminal network circulating fake foreign notes within and beyond Nairobi.
