Nakuru County police commander, Peter Mwanzo. PHOTO|COURTESY

The feared “Confirm” gang’s ringleader, Dickson Macharia Waithera alias ‘Deco’ has been detained by Nakuru police who also found narcotics in his home.

He was captured during an operation in the city, which has seen a rise in organized crime over the previous few weeks.

Numerous homicides and robberies in the community have been attributed to the gang. Additionally, it has been accused of defrauding the public through phones.

The raid was launched following the deaths of at least six women in Mawanga Estate.

After the murders, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i went to Nakuru and removed the former police chief and ordered a crackdown with immediate effect.

According to Peter Mwanzo, the commander of the Nakuru County Police, the accused gang boss was captured as a result of intelligence reports.

‘Deco’ and other gang members had been operating in Nakuru town, but some of the members have now gone to villages to avoid capture, according to Mr. Mwanzo, who briefed the media.

“We arrested him with one sack of bhang, opium, heroin and mobile phones,” the commander stated.

Since the raid, at least 140 gang members have been detained, and five of them are now being prosecuted for murder after being implicated in the killings of the Mawanga women.