The DCI is investigating a criminal syndicate involved in the trafficking of 51 Ethiopian nationals following the interception of two 14-seater matatus ferrying the entire group on Monday, 10.

The operation launched by Anti-Human Trafficking detectives had narrowed down to a driver and a PSV vehicle that has been on police radar on suspicion of being involved in the transnational crime.

Acting on intelligence that a number of illegal immigrants earlier spotted in Turkana were being ferried to the Kenya-Uganda border on board Kitale-bound matatus, the team pursued two suspected PSVs to Makunga shopping centre along the Kitale-Kapenguria highway.

Upon interception and search, 43 adults and 8 juveniles aged between 9months and 40 yrs were found bundled in the two vehicles KDH 051J belonging to Lodwar Prestige Sacco driven by John Wasike, & KDJ 284R of Royal Rift Shuttle Sacco driven by Harold Kamau.

Ongoing investigations have so far revealed that the syndicate facilitates the entry to exit of the smuggled persons from Ethiopia to Uganda through the country, with their destination believed to be South Africa.

Further investigations ongoing to unearth the entire modus operandi of the criminal ring, as well as bring to book the key players in the trade.