Officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) have arrested several individuals accused of operating an international job-scam, and human trafficking scheme that reportedly targeted people seeking employment opportunities abroad.
Some of the entities in the scheme are being identified as ‘Hey Success, Qnet, etc.”
The arrests followed a police raid on a location along 72nd Boulevard in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, where authorities encountered a large number of individuals allegedly connected to the scheme.
According to accounts from victims, they were promised opportunities to travel to Canada, and other European countries, and parts of Asia for employment.
Each of the victims was made to pay, for example, US$900 and US$1,500.
Preliminary reports indicate that about 200 people from Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, may have been affected by the scheme.
Some of the suspected operators reportedly escaped during the police operation, while several others were taken into custody.
The arrests have raised fresh concerns about organized recruitment scams targeting ‘vulnerable people’ with promises of overseas jobs, and better economic opportunities.
Police authorities are expected to conduct further investigations to determine the full scope of the operation, identify additional suspects, and establish whether the victims were being targeted as part of a human trafficking network or just to steal money from them.
LNP has not yet publicly disclosed the identities of all those arrested, or announced possible charges as investigations continue.
Source: Crime Watch TV
