DCI arrests 3 linked to criminal gang operating in Kwale

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have arrested three persons of interest linked to a criminal gang that has been terrorising residents in parts of Kwale County.

In a statement shared on X on Saturday, December 24, 2026, the DCI said the operation was carried out by officers from DCI Msambweni in collaboration with officers from Diani Police Station, following crucial intelligence leads.

According to the DCI, the gang has been associated with criminal activities in Tiwi, Mwachema and Mwakamba areas, as well as along the beachlines of Matuga and Msambweni.

Acting on the intelligence, officers conducted a targeted operation that led them to a hideout in Tiwi, where the three persons of interest were arrested.

“A team of officers drawn from DCI Msambweni, along with officers from Diani Police Station, has arrested three notorious members of a gang that has been terrorising members of the public”, DCI said.

Police said the arrest has brought to an end a wave of insecurity that had unsettled residents and businesses in the affected areas, particularly along the South Coast.

Custody and investigations

The three persons of interest were taken to Diani Police Station, where they are being held as investigations continue. Officers said the individuals are undergoing processing ahead of their arraignment in court.

“The three are now in custody at Diani Police Station, where they are undergoing processing in preparation for their arraignment,” the agency noted.

Authorities noted that further inquiries are ongoing to determine whether the arrested individuals are linked to other criminal incidents reported within Kwale County.

The arrests come days after a similar security operation in the coastal region. At least 18 persons of interest were arrested in Malindi during a police crackdown targeting criminal gangs accused of terrorising residents in the town and surrounding areas.

According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the operation was carried out in the Muyeye and Milano areas, where officers conducted coordinated raids aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating in the region.

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