Ghanaian authorities have arrested 219 individuals following an intelligence-led operation targeting transnational criminal syndicates.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), working in connection with the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces, carried out the coordinated raid dubbed “Operation Rescue Shield” in the early hours of the week at Isak Estates in Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra.
Those apprehended include both Ghanaian and Nigerian nationals, ranging in age from 15 to 38. Among them were 11 minors and seven women. Authorities allege the victims were enticed into Ghana with promises of well-paying employment, only to be held captive and forced into cybercrime activities.
At a Thursday press briefing, EOCO’s Acting Executive Director, Abdul Bashiru Dapilah, described the operation as a “major breakthrough” in efforts to combat cross-border trafficking and online fraud. “These individuals were trafficked under the guise of job opportunities and coerced into illegal online operations,” Mr. Dapilah said.
He emphasized the growing need for enhanced regional cooperation to dismantle the expanding web of human trafficking and digital fraud networks that span borders across West Africa.
Authorities seized laptops, mobile devices, internet equipment, and other personal effects during the raid. Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were confined to the Oyarifa estate compound, where they operated under duress.
Screening is currently underway to distinguish victims from perpetrators and to separate minors from adults. Mr. Dapilah indicated that arrangements are being made to repatriate the victims to Nigeria once the verification process is complete possibly as early as Friday.
The arrests mark one of the largest anti-trafficking operations in Ghana’s recent history and underscore the country’s heightened commitment to curbing organized crime. Investigations into the ringleaders of the operation remain ongoing.
Source:TheDotNews