DCI ON HIGH ALERT OVER A NOTORIOUS GOLD SMUGGLER BEING SOUGHT INTERNATIONALLY

DCI on high alert over a notorious gold
smuggler being sought internationally

By Special Correspondent

The Directorate of Criminal

Investigations (DCI) have been placed on

high alert over a renowned gold smuggler

Lionel Crochet who is a French national.

Crochet who is believed to be well

connected to several influential

billionaires in Europe, especially

Monaco, France and Belgium through his

gold and firearm business, managed to

smuggle a large consignment of gold

suspected to be more than 250 kilograms

from Kenya to Dubai between April and

May this year.

Upon arrival in Dubai, the consignment

was detained because of his criminal

record in the Middle East country where

he was arrested and jailed for five

years some years back due to money

laundering and smuggling and was later

deported after finishing his jail term.

It’s believed that the smooth operate

who boasts of corrupting the ‘high and

the mighty’ to offer him protection, has

turned Kenya as his new base of

operations.

He is also suspected to have links with

the dreaded M23 rebel group in

Democratic Republic of Congo who he is

believed to be one of their financiers.

One of his close ally is a liquid USA-

based lawyer only known as Recce who is

also being investigated for money

laundering issues both in the USA and

Middle East as well as several African

countries. Crochet also has close ties

with shrewd Congolese nationals Mabila

and Jean Paul who have yet exited Kenya

due to the same criminal trade.

Investigations are currently underway to

ascertain the existence of some

consignment that are still hidden in

Nairobi under the custody of Crochet.

Kenyan crime busters have in the recent

past declared a total war on the

business of gold smuggling and money

laundering in the country, making it

uncomfortable for the operators.