The Ghana Police Service has rescued 33 victims of human trafficking and arrested 28 suspects in a series of intelligence led operations targeting cyber enabled fraud, human trafficking and illicit arms trafficking in Accra, Tema and the Ashanti Region.
The operations also led to the retrieval of firearms, ammunition, laptops, mobile phones and internet devices believed to have been used in the commission of various crimes, as police intensified efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks operating in the country.
The Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Lydia Yaako Donkor, disclosed this at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, where she outlined four major operations undertaken by the CID and the Tema Regional Police Command.
She said the first operation, conducted by the Tema Regional Police Intelligence Directorate at Mataheko Afienya on July 3, resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects involved in internet related fraud.
According to her, investigations identified Collins Francis Olayi Ojo as the leader of the syndicate, who allegedly trafficked nine Nigerian nationals into Ghana and compelled them to engage in cyber enabled fraudulent activities.
She said the nine victims had been rescued and placed in a safe location, while 28 laptop computers and nine mobile phones recovered during a search had been secured for forensic examination. Collins Francis Olayi Ojo has since been remanded by the Accra High Court.
DCOP Donkor said another intelligence led operation at Fafa Community on July 7 led to the arrest of 11 suspects and the recovery of 14 laptop computers with accessories and 12 smart mobile phones.
She said investigations established that six of those arrested were victims of human trafficking who had been lured from Nigeria under false pretences and exploited in cybercrime. They received medical screening and victim support before being repatriated to Nigeria.
She, however, said further investigations revealed that Godstime Terry, 34, and Wilson Makuo, 21, initially identified as victims, were coordinators of the syndicate, while another suspect identified only as Jerry remained at large.
Touching on the Kwabenya operation, DCOP Donkor said five Nigerian nationals were arrested after intelligence indicated that several young Nigerians had been trafficked into Ghana and housed in a three bedroom apartment where they were forced into cybercrime.
She said officers forced open a locked bedroom and rescued 18 victims, aged between 15 and 24, from a group of 22 young Nigerians found in the house. Fifty two assorted mobile phones and several wireless internet devices were also retrieved for forensic examination.
In a separate operation in the Ashanti Region, the CID arrested Cristopher Kuupieni, 63, and Kwabena Tawiah, 56, for allegedly engaging in the illegal trade in firearms and ammunition.
A search led to the recovery of four pistols, magazines and 125 rounds of live ammunition, while investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly supplied weapons to various buyers across the country without lawful authorisation.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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