Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 34 suspects over alleged involvement in internet fraud in the state.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the command’s Quick Response Squad, led by SP Collins Arrey, on March 28 during a raid on a location in Opete suspected to be a hub for internet fraud activities.
The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, said the arrest followed a call from a resident who reported that her younger brother had sent a distress message indicating he was being held hostage and forced to engage in cybercrime.
He said the operatives stormed the location, where an organised network of young suspects was operating from a residential apartment converted into a cybercrime base, and arrested all 34 suspects on the spot.
According to him, 37 laptops, one iPad, seven mobile phones, and a calabash containing suspected charms — indicating the scale and organised nature of the operation — were recovered from the suspects.
He said investigations are ongoing to unravel the full extent of their activities.