The Dhaka Metropolitan Police in Bangladesh has arrested 11 Nigerian nationals for their alleged involvement in a Facebook scam.
They were arrested alongside one Bangladeshi for obtaining money from people in the guise of helping them exchange their Bangladeshi Taka into US dollar.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested in separate operations in Dhaka, the country’s capital city, on Wednesday.
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This was disclosed during a media briefing on Thursday, April 21.
The arrested Nigerians are Henri Osita Okechukwu, Chisom Emmanuel Obiajulu, Okeke Peter, Obinna Sunday, Oneka Amba, Chisom Anthonoy Ekwenze, Okeyea Azubike, Anuyarah Ojuyemena Daniel, Anuruka Jinika Francis, Luke and Domado Chinedo.
Their Bangladeshi assistant identified as Chadni Akter, concealed her identity and pretended to be a customs official.
“The leaders of the fraud ring are Osita Okechukwu and Chisom Emmanuel. They used to maintain communication with their Bangladeshi accomplices and distribute the embezzled money among other members of the gang,” said AKM Hafiz Akter, an additional commissioner at DMP’s Detective Branch.
“The other members of the gang swindled people out of huge amounts of money with promises of expensive gifts and investment after developing a virtual friendship with fake Facebook ID as an American or European citizen.”
A dollar ‘trick’ machine, 17 phones, two laptops, chemical bottles and copies of warrants in various cases were recovered from the suspects.
In addition to Chadni, several Bangladeshi citizens are involved with the gang, Hafiz said, adding that legal action has been taken against the gang members.
The law enforcers have launched a manhunt to trace out other criminals, he added.
