The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces, has arrested 219 individuals across the West African sub-region for alleged involvement in human trafficking and cybercrime activities.
The arrests followed an intelligence-led operation targeting criminal networks engaged in trafficking and online fraud.
The EOCO-led operation named “Operation Rescue Shield” arrested 219 Nigerians and Ghanaians aged between 15 years to 38 years. Eleven minors, seven females and two hundred and twelve males.
At a press conference held on Thursday, April 17, Acting Executive Director of EOCO, Abdul Bashiru Dapilah, revealed that the victims were lured with promises of lucrative employment but were instead held hostage and compelled to engage in cybercrime operations.
“The operation was successful, and 219 people were arrested at Isak estates in Oyarifa. The victims were lured into the country by the suspects ostensibly to give them lucrative jobs in Ghana.
“Unfortunately, when they came to Ghana, since there were no lucrative jobs existing then, they took them hostage and confined them at the Oyarifa estate and were forced to go into cybercrimes and cybercrime-related activities,” he explained.
He emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in combating such transnational crimes and reaffirmed EOCO’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks.
Several laptops, personal effects, internet facilities, and other items were retrieved from the suspects. The victims were both Nigerians and Ghanaians.
Currently, investigations are ongoing into the team behind the trafficking, while screening is ongoing to separate the victims from the suspects and the juveniles from the adults.
“We are thinking that come what may, by tomorrow [April 18], we should be able to complete the screening, then barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should be able to make arrangements for the victims to be sent back to Nigeria to connect with their families,” he stated.
