Operation in Ghana and Nigeria leads to 28 arrests

A multinational law-enforcement operation targeting cybercrime compounds in Ghana and Nigeria led to 28 arrests and the identification of 117 trafficking victims in Ghana, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Officials also reported differing totals for Nigerians who had returned from Ghana, reflecting separate updates on repatriation and processing. The operation ran from October 6 to October 9 and involved Nigerian, U.S. and British agencies, the department said. Ghanaian authorities arrested 19 people and Nigerian authorities arrested nine. In Sasaabi, near Accra, investigators seized 303 electronic devices suspected of being connected to fraud. The National Crime Agency said the Nigerian arrests took place across Delta State, where investigators seized six laptops, 35 mobile phones and 12 routers. The department said authorities identified 117 trafficking victims in Ghana. Its account said they were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria. Ghana’s Communication Minister Sam George said 120 Nigerians who had been trafficked to Ghana and forced to work in cybercrime operations had been repatriated.