The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has arrested 36 Nigerian suspects for fraud while recovering $3 million among other exhibits. This was disclosed on Monday, in a statement released on INTERPOL’s official website.
According to the statement, three suspects were arrested for sextortion while the majority of others were arrested for fraudulent activities. The agency explained how it recovered exhibits like 19kg of cocaine, 51kg of cannabis, five cars, two weapons, and many others during the raid.
More so, the security setup discussed how a lot of criminals use romance baiting, crypto scams, and Ponzi schemes to rake fortunes from their victims.
Additionally, INTERPOL explained how it planned the operation for more than two months, intensifying border checks and raids at some strategic points. The arrest also revealed a human trafficking case involving 12 victims lured abroad with false promises of better opportunities, only to face sexual exploitation.
At the same time, the INTERPOL arrested a female recruiter of an organized gang, confiscating $16,000 from her. The statement explained that most of the suspects were young people under the age of 35, indicating a tendency for younger people to get involved in crime.
Meanwhile, INTERPOL’s Acting Executive Director, Cyril Gout stressed the need to combat the global threat of organized criminal groups. Gout commended the raid for its efficiency and success, highlighting the importance of collaboration in the fight against crime.
Gout emphasized the growing influence of West African criminal groups, highlighting that these organizations are involved in a wide range of illegal activities.
He concluded by explaining that the global threat posed by organized crime can be effectively addressed through collaboration at both national and international levels.
