219 arrested in major crackdown on human trafficking by EOCO

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in partnership with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces, has detained 219 individuals across the West African sub-region for suspected involvement in human trafficking and online criminal activities. The arrests comes after an strategically planned operation focusing on organized crime groups involved in trafficking and online fraud.

The EOCO-designation operation entitled “Operation Rescue Shield”detained 219 Nigerians and Ghanaians ranging in age from 15 years to 38 years. These individuals consist of Eleven minors, seven females and two hundred and twelve males.

In a press conference on Thursday, April 17, Abdul Bashiru Dapilah, the Acting Executive Director of EOCO, disclosed that the victims were deceived with promises of well-paying but were instead held against their will and forced to engage in cybercrime operations.

Abdul Bashiru Dapilah disclosed that “The operation was successful, and 219 people were arrested at Isak estates in Oyarifa. The victims were deceived into the country by the suspects with promises of high-paying in Ghana. Unfortunately, when they came to Ghana, since there were no lucrative jobs existing then, they took them hostage and confined them at the Oyarifa estate and were forced to go into cybercrimes and cybercrime-related activities.”

He stressed the value of cross-border collaboration in fighting such transnational crimes and reinstated EOCO’s dedication to taking down organized crime groups. A lot of laptops, personal effects, internet facilities, good seizes from the suspects.They also had both Ghanaians and Nigerian victims.

Investigations are currently underway into the organized crime groups responsible, while identification procedures between victims and  suspects are in place.

Abdul Bashiru Dapilah added that “We are thinking that come what may, by tomorrow April 18,2025, we should be able to complete the screening, then barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should be able to make arrangements for the victims to be sent back to Nigeria to connect with their families.”