Some victims who had been forced into labour rescued after EOCO’s joint operation at Oyarifa
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has provided a detailed account of its recent crackdown and the subsequent arrest of individuals involved in a human trafficking operation in Oyarifa, a suburb of Accra.
Speaking to the media following the operation, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of EOCO, Abdulai Bashiru Dapilah, revealed that the suspects lured their victims into the country under false pretenses, promising them well-paying jobs.
“The victims were lured into the country by the suspects ostensibly to give them lucrative jobs in Ghana,” he said.
Dapilah further disclosed that the victims, who are all foreign nationals from neighboring countries, were tricked into abandoning their livelihoods and families in search of better living conditions in Ghana.
However, upon arrival and realizing they had been deceived, the victims were unlawfully confined and held against their will.
He added that they were later forced by their captors to engage in various criminal activities, including cybercrime.
“Unfortunately, since there were no lucrative jobs, the suspects took the victims hostage, confined them at the Oyarifa estates, and forced them into cybercrime and related activities,” he explained.
In a joint special operation carried out by EOCO, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), and National Security, 35 individuals suspected of human trafficking were arrested.
The operation also led to the rescue of 219 persons who had been subjected to forced labor and other inhumane conditions.
MAG/MA
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