A routine police patrol along Nairobi’s Kenyatta Avenue led to the dramatic arrest of four male persons of interest after officers intercepted a suspicious vehicle at a petrol station and recovered what was later identified as a plastic revolver, along with six rubber bullets and a knife inscribed with the label ‘AK47’.
The operation, which unfolded during the early hours of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, was sparked by a tip-off from vigilant members of the public, who had raised the alarm after spotting one of the men brandishing what appeared to be a firearm.
In a statement, the National Police Service [NPS] noted that the gesture immediately raised red flags, as the area is very sensitive to criminal activity during the night.
“In the early hours of 4 June 2025, at approximately 0125 hours, police officers on night patrol along Kenyatta Avenue intercepted four male suspects at a petrol station inside a motor vehicle,” the statement read in part.
Acting swiftly on the alert, officers on night patrol moved in on the vehicle, which was parked at the filling station under low light, and conducted a meticulous search of both the occupants and the car’s interior.
That was when they found the black plastic revolver designed to mimic the weight and appearance of a real firearm, six imitation rubber bullets that could easily deceive the untrained eye, and a knife bearing the intimidating engraving “AK47”, which officers believe may have been intended to evoke fear or signify gang affiliation.
“The intervention followed a tip-off from members of the public, who had observed one of the individuals brandishing what appeared to be a firearm, arousing suspicion. Upon searching the vehicle and its occupants, officers recovered a plastic revolver, six rubber bullets, and a knife marked ‘AK47’.”
All four suspects, who, according to police, appeared to be visibly intoxicated at the time of arrest, were promptly taken into custody for further interrogation, as law enforcement authorities seek to uncover the full intent behind their possession of the items.
The vehicle they were found in has since been impounded as part of ongoing investigations, with authorities not ruling out the possibility of broader links to organised criminal activity or other pending cases involving imitation firearms.
“All suspects, who appeared intoxicated at the time, were arrested and taken into custody for further questioning, and the vehicle was impounded as investigations continue.”
