Detectives have arrested 29 people and seized suspected counterfeit and contraband goods worth more than Sh62.7 million in a three-day nationwide crackdown coordinated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and INTERPOL.

The intelligence-led exercise, code-named Operation Usalama XII, also led to the recovery of 85 Kenyan passports from a recruitment agency allegedly operating without a licence, and the rescue of seven people believed to be victims of human trafficking, the DCI said in a statement on Thursday, 15 October 2026.

The operation was coordinated by INTERPOL's National Central Bureau in Nairobi and the Director of Operations at DCI headquarters, and covered seven regions: Nairobi, Central, Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern, Nyanza and Western. It targeted counterfeit goods, illicit alcohol, smuggled cigarettes, falsified medicines, human trafficking, wildlife crime and other forms of organised crime.

Passports, work visas and rescued victims

In one of the most significant findings, detectives raided a recruitment agency in Westlands, Nairobi, that was allegedly operating without a licence. Officers recovered 85 Kenyan passports together with work visas and employment contracts, and arrested a suspect at the premises. The DCI said investigations would establish the circumstances under which the agency came to hold the documents.

The find adds to long-running concerns over unlicensed agencies that recruit Kenyans for jobs abroad, a sector the government has repeatedly warned job seekers to approach with caution.

In Roysambu, Nairobi, detectives rescued three girls suspected to be victims of sexual exploitation. In Gilgil, officers intercepted four Somali nationals, among them two minors, who are believed to have been trafficked.

Counterfeits, cigarettes and medicines

In Nairobi, detectives seized large quantities of suspected counterfeit consumer goods, electrical accessories and vehicle parts. These included 3,991 suspected fake Samsung and iPhone chargers and adapters, and 1,963 football jerseys and Adidas-branded balls, as well as beauty products, spare parts and lubricants.

In Kayole, officers recovered suspected falsified medicines and diverted public medical supplies from an unlicensed clinic. In Eastleigh, the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau seized several bottles from a pharmacy suspected to contain narcotic or psychotropic substances, which have been sent for laboratory analysis.

In Nakuru, a suspect was arrested while transporting about 90,000 sticks of suspected smuggled cigarettes valued at about Sh2 million. Counterfeit excise stamps were also recovered. Separate operations in the Central and Nyanza regions netted suspected counterfeit and unmarked alcoholic drinks, while counterfeit mobile phones, storage devices and footwear were also seized.

Wildlife and forest products

Wildlife and forest crime formed a significant part of the exercise. In Tana River, officers recovered 37.5 kilograms of dik-dik carcasses, while about 40 kilograms of wildlife meat was seized at Kuranze Ranch in an operation led by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Another four kilograms of zebra meat was recovered in Tsavo East.

At Lake Nakuru National Park, nine suspects were arrested and 552.3 kilograms of fish seized, together with an illegal fishing boat, nets and hunting tools. In Narok, 1,500 cedar posts were confiscated, while 75 mangrove rafters were seized in Malindi.

Vehicle checks and next steps

As part of the operation, 198 motor vehicles, including some in Mombasa, were checked against INTERPOL databases to identify any linked to transnational crime.

The operation brought together the Kenya Revenue Authority, the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Transnational Organised Crime Unit, the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit, the National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, alongside brand owners and local police units.

The DCI said investigations into the seized products and arrested suspects were continuing. These include forensic analysis of the suspected psychoactive substances, verification of the suspected counterfeit goods, and inquiries into illegal recruitment, human trafficking, pharmaceutical offences and the illicit alcohol trade. The agency did not disclose the identities of those arrested or say when they would be arraigned.

The Usalama series of operations is run under INTERPOL's regional framework with police chiefs in Eastern and Southern Africa, and previous editions have targeted cross-border crime including drug trafficking, illegal firearms and human smuggling.

Photos: Travis andre / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; CBP Photography / Wikimedia Commons, public domain (file image of seized counterfeit goods)