The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Edgal Imohimi on Tuesday paraded 13 suspects arrested for cross border and cyber crime and recovered over N90m worth of drugs.
The CP, who was addressing journalists at the command, said the cross border crime suspects, all Beninois specialised in snatching exotic cars in Nigeria and driving it to Benin Republic to sell.
Imohimi, while narrating how a victim’s car was snatched by the gang at gun point, said that the victim had gone to use an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) when his Toyota Prado jeep was taken.
The commissioner said their exploit started on Jan. 21 at Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos when the owner of a Toyota Prado jeep went to use a Zenith Bank ATM.
“After using the ATM, before he could drive off, the three hoodlums that had been stalking him forced him out of the car to the back seat and drove off.
“He was later stripped naked and dropped somewhere at Ikoyi while his car was driven away with mobile phones, a laptop computer and N45,000 cash.
“When the hoodlums got to Ikoyi, they sighted a couple in a Toyota Jeep buying barbecue at Southern Sun area. The hoodlums forcibly took control of the car and drove the victims away.
“The victims’ wife was later dropped at a junction before third mainland bridge the husband was dropped on third mainland bridge.
“After a careful analysis and undercover operations, on Feb. 11, the group was intercepted at mile 2 while on a mission,” he said.
Imohinmi said an AK-47 rifle, 43 rounds of ammunitions, one locally made cut to size double barrel gun, six life cartridges, one licensed plate number and assorted charms were recovered from the hoodlums.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspects were paraded alongside a native doctor who specialised in preparing charms for the suspects.
In another development, six suspects who specialise in stealing mobile phones with intention to generate the user’s bank details and withdraw their money were also paraded by the police.
According to Imohimi, the suspects were arrested following reports on their activities in various parts of the state.
“On Feb. 7, at 6pm, one Mrs Kemi Benson had reported to the police at Egbeda that her sister’s phone was stolen at a birthday party.
“When the victim went for SIM card replacement, as soon as she inserted her Sim into her phone, she received a bank alert of N1.153m transferred from her account to other banks.
“After investigation, gangs who specialise in dispossessing victims of their mobile phone with the use of motorcycle were apprehended.
“The gang is made up of two groups. One specialises in snatching the mobile phone and sell to the other group to generate bank details and BVN to transfer money from the account,” he said.
The commissioner said disclosed that 10 laptops, one Infinix mobile phone and 10 SIM cards were recovered from the hoodlums.
He called on members of the public who had been victims of the cyber fraudsters especially those that had their phones stolen at Iyana-Ipaja, Iba, Festac and Alaba to come to the command.
NAN reports that 183 wraps of drugs suspected to be Marijuana, 129 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine and bottled hard drugs worth over N90m were recovered at suspected criminals’ hideout at Akala.
The CP disclosed that the command was working on getting a court order to destroy the recovered drugs. (NAN)