The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), working hand-in-hand with the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Ghana Armed Forces, has arrested 219 individuals linked to a sprawling human trafficking and cybercrime syndicate.
Dubbed “Operation Rescue Shield,” this intelligence-led crackdown targeted a sinister network that lured vulnerable victims with promises of lucrative jobs in Ghana — only to trap them in a nightmare of captivity and forced cybercrime.
At a press conference on April 17, EOCO’s Acting Executive Director, Abdul Bashiru Dapilah, revealed harrowing details of the operation. The suspects, aged between 15 and 38, include 11 minors and a majority of males, hailing from both Nigeria and Ghana.
“These individuals were deceived with false job offers,” Dapilah explained. “Once in Ghana, they were confined at Isak Estates in Oyarifa and coerced into cybercrime activities. What was supposed to be an opportunity turned into a prison.”
“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 added.
Authorities confiscated numerous laptops, internet devices, and personal belongings used in the cybercrime operations. The scale of the bust highlights the sophistication of the criminal networks exploiting regional vulnerabilities.
Abdul Bashiru Dapilah explained that investigations are still 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.”
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
