By Mubanga Mubanga
Drug Enforcement Commission director General Nason Banda has assured Zambians that the commission will not relent when it comes to asset recovery because it is now the way to go.
And DEC through its collaborative efforts with other Law Enforcement Agencies, has uncovered a sophisticated scam which has resulted in the arrest of 77 people.
Speaking after displaying the various computers and equipment which was found with scammers, Banda said the international community wanted to see that what was stolen by criminals was retrieved and given back to them.
He said so far the DEC working with others had seized and forfeited to the State an average of about K836,000 Million and would go into Control 99 back to the Zambian people.
“We have recovered it from wherever it was taken and in this line, we have also got some properties that we have seized they can range from anywhere above 100 Million,” he said.
Banda said six properties in prime areas were forfeited.
He said some were in Roma, Siavonga and Lusaka.
And Banda said DEC would ensure that the fight against cybercrime was taken to another level.
He said the people of Zambia had been losing money in their bank accounts even without withdrawing, yet it was people like those arrested today that were doing it.
Banda assured Zambians that DEC was out to get criminals and was working in collaboration with all the experts in Zambia to get them.
In a statement, DEC public relations officer Mwenge Mulenga, stated following thorough intelligence operations, a raid was conducted on Golden Top Support Services, located in Roma, Lusaka, uncovering a sophisticated internet fraud syndicate.
Mulenga stated that during the operation, Sim Boxing Machines were discovered on-site, facilitating the bypassing of local service providers’ networks for fraudulent activities, including internet fraud and online scams.
“Additionally, over 13, 000 thousands of SIM cards, both domestic and international, was seized, underscoring the extent of the operation’s reach. Counting of these SIM cards is still in process but so far our team has counted over 1,742 Vodafone SIM cards, over 7,778 MTN SIM cards, and 4,016 Airtel SIM cards including 11 sim boxes,” Mulenga stated.
He revealed that the organisation employed unsuspecting Zambian youths aged between 20 and 25, mostly school leavers, under the impression that they shall work as call center agents, tasking them with engaging in deceptive conversations with unsuspecting mobile users across various platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, chatrooms, and others, using scripted dialogues.
He state that the scope of their illicit operations extended beyond Zambia’s borders, with evidence indicating sophisticated mobile and internet communication with individuals in countries such as Singapore, Peru, UAE, and others across the continent.
Mulenga further stated that in total, 77 suspects, including 50 males and 27 females from Zambia, along with 23 foreign nationals, predominantly 22 Chinese nationals and one Cameroonian, were apprehended.
“Notably, several foreign nationals were found to be residing in the country without proper documentation. Following the raid, 17 Zambian suspects were released, while 60, along with 22 Chinese male adults and one Cameroonian, were detained for further questioning,” he states. Seized items included 93 desktop computers, 42 new and boxed computers, one laptop, a satellite gadget, and other ICT-related equipment. Furthermore, two firearms, a Beretta and a sig sue, along with 78 rounds of ammunition, were seized. Additionally, two motor vehicles including a black Alphard motor vehicle, registration number BAT 8373 and a Toyota Land cruiser, registration number BAE 5675 belonging to a Chinese national linked to the business, was seized.”
The DEC emphasised the alarming rise in internet fraud cases, leading to substantial financial losses for citizens and contributing to various forms of money laundering schemes.
Mulenga stated that as technology continues to advance, the Commission remained vigilant in combating cybercrime and protecting the interests of the Zambian populace.
