Two arrested in Eldoret over phone hacking and resale racket

Two suspects have been taken into custody in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County, linked to a mobile phone hacking and resale operation.

According to a statement released by the National Police Service (NPS) on Friday, May 30, 2025, the arrests occurred on Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a public tip-off.

Police officers, working alongside representatives from M-KOPA, conducted a raid on a phone repair shop situated near the Eldoret Shuttle booking office.

Police report that the two suspects were caught red-handed flashing 28 different mobile phones, including several devices registered to M-KOPA, during the raid.

Authorities suspect that the individuals are part of a larger criminal network involved in bypassing security systems on stolen or credit-purchased phones to resell them illegally.

In a statement, the National Police Service (NPS) said, "On May 29, 2025, following a public tip-off, officers in Eldoret, working with M-KOPA’s liaison team, arrested two suspects linked to a mobile phone hacking and resale operation in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County."

The raid took place at a phone repair shop near the Eldoret Shuttle booking office, where the suspects were found flashing 28 assorted phones, including M-KOPA devices.

The suspects are believed to be part of a broader syndicate involved in manipulating stolen and credit-obtained phones to avoid payment.

During the search of the premises, police recovered several high-tech electronic devices, including two HP laptops, two CPUs, seven hard drives, a Pandora Box, a dongle, and a JTAG device tools commonly used to modify IMEI numbers, reprogram phones, and disable built-in security features.

The statement further noted, “The recovered equipment is typically used to alter IMEI codes, reprogram mobile devices, and bypass security protections.”

The suspects remain in custody at Eldoret Police Station as investigators conduct forensic analyses and continue with further inquiries.

The police also cautioned the public against buying low-priced mobile phones from unverified sellers, emphasizing that tampering with devices acquired on credit to avoid payment is illegal.

"The National Police Service urges the public to avoid purchasing suspiciously cheap mobile phones from dishonest dealers and to steer clear of fraudulent acts like flashing phones obtained on credit to evade repayment," the police statement advised.