Gold scammers are colluding with rogue Immigration Department officials to intimidate foreign businessmen and their witnesses after defrauding them.

An investigation report has revealed how some immigration officers were even placing red alerts of deporting the foreigners who have been defrauded without compelling reasons.

According to the report, the officials involved in these scams are said to receive 10 percent of the proceeds, according to a report.

In one of the cases highlighted in the report, Doreen Agani Songwa was found to have endorsed the passport of a Liberian gold fraudster with a fake E-visa at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

This was to enable him enter the country illegally, according to a letter reference IMMS/6/4/VOL.XIX(TF)/108 and dated May 2.

The Liberian together with a Chief Inspector Peter Owiyo were later charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and Stealing goods on transit -6.4kg of gold valued at USD408,420.

“From the travel history report obtained, details of the flight captured PW 614 instead of KQ 509 was meant to assist and conceal the illegal entry into the country,” according to a confidential report.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has also that the scamming in the country had reached unprecedented proportions with negative ramifications both for the reputation and economy of the country.

“While Kenya does not produce much gold, tons of the commodity are being traded through the country whereby scores of foreign gold buyers have lost millions of dollars in a scam which has continued despite efforts by the government and reports in the media,” a report reads.

“Scammers are using any means possible to intimidate foreign complaints such as threats and unjustified travel stop orders place by corrupt Immigration officers,” the report adds.