Detectives have recovered a Land Rover Discovery reported stolen in the United Kingdom during a week-long multi-agency operation targeting local and international motor vehicle theft syndicates.
The recovery was made during Operation Carback II, a nationwide crackdown spearheaded by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) through its INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Nairobi and the Operations Directorate, alongside other law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
According to the DCI, detectives recovered a grey Land Rover Discovery bearing registration number KCY 001J from a motor vehicle yard along Nairobi’s Northern Bypass.
A check against the INTERPOL database established that the vehicle had been reported stolen in the UK. It was subsequently impounded and taken to DCI headquarters for further processing and investigations.
The operation brought together the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Police Service and Administration Police Service.
Kenya participated alongside other INTERPOL member countries in the coordinated operation under Project Drive Out, in collaboration with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol).
The initiative sought to disrupt organised vehicle crime networks, recover stolen vehicles and parts, and strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies across borders.
During the crackdown, detectives physically inspected more than 1,800 vehicles and checked over 260,000 vehicles against the INTERPOL database.
The enforcement teams conducted inspections across Nairobi, Eastern, Central, Nyanza, Western, Coast and Rift Valley regions, targeting motor vehicle yards, showrooms, spare-parts shops, garages, motor vehicle bazaars and highway checkpoints.
In Thika West Sub-County, detectives discovered a white Mercedes-Benz Kompressor bearing registration number KBZ 325J, which records indicated belonged to an orange Suzuki station wagon. The discrepancy prompted further investigations by the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer.
In Embakasi, detectives also recovered a forklift bearing registration number KAD 132K, which was found to be registered as a crawler. An obliterated chassis number raised further suspicion, and the case was referred to DCI Embakasi for further investigations.
The DCI said Operation Carback II builds on a similar operation conducted in 2024 and highlighted the importance of intelligence-led enforcement and international information-sharing in tackling vehicle theft.
Investigations into the recovered vehicles and the suspected registration irregularities are ongoing.
