The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has dismantled a sophisticated internet fraud syndicate operating out of the DEVTRACO Estate.
The intelligence-led operation resulted in the arrest of 93 Nigerian nationals and the harrowing rescue of 73 victims who had been subjected to severe torture and abuse.
The crackdown, led by Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Newman Akuffo of the National Operations unit, targeted six separate houses within the upscale estate.
What appeared to be quiet residential properties were actually hubs for large-scale digital crime.
During the raid, officers uncovered an extensive arsenal of tools used for fraudulent activities, including 82 laptops, 57 mobile phones, fake gold bars, stacks of counterfeit US dollars, and 17 television sets used to facilitate the group’s operations.
Beyond the financial crimes, the human cost was staggering.
The GIS reported that the 73 rescued individuals were being held against their will, enduring physical abuse at the hands of the suspects. Investigations revealed a pattern of total disregard for Ghana’s borders; while some of the 91 men and 2 women arrested had overstayed their legal 90-day visa-free entry, others had bypassed official checkpoints entirely via unapproved routes.
”The 73 rescued victims have already been repatriated to Nigeria, while further probes into the suspects continue at the GIS National Headquarters,” stated Deputy Commissioner of Immigration, Maud Anima Quainoo.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration has issued a firm reminder that Ghana will not serve as a sanctuary for human trafficking or cybercrime.
Under the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), those found guilty of recruiting or harboring individuals through force or fraud face 5 to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment if children are involved.
Furthermore, under the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573), entering through unapproved routes or overstaying a visa is a criminal offense punishable by fines and up to two years of imprisonment.
The GIS continues to urge all foreign nationals to strictly adhere to the laws of the Republic of Ghana to avoid the full weight of the justice system.
By 1960news.com
