The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in collaboration with a Joint Task Force comprising five teams from the Nigeria Police Force and three teams from the Nigeria Customs Service, apprehended 115 individuals suspected of currency racketeering in Enugu State on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

This was made known in a statement shared on EFCC’s X account on Thursday.

The arrests, which included 113 males and two females, occurred during a sting operation conducted on Owerri Road, Ogui, Enugu State, following credible intelligence regarding illegal foreign exchange activities involving bureau de change operators, currency speculators, and street hawkers in the area.

The statement said, “Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in conjunction with a Joint Task Force comprising five teams from the Nigeria Police Force and three teams from the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, arrested 115 suspected currency racketeers in Enugu State.

“The suspects comprising 113 males and two females were arrested in a sting operation at Owerri Road, Ogui, Enugu State, following credible intelligence about some bureau de change operators, currency speculators and street hawkers operating illegal foreign exchange markets in that environment.

“Items recovered from them include N110,700,000.00, $8,368.00, £145.00, €2,725, 900 South African Rands, 32,000.00 CFA, 100 Turkiya, and 500 Bank Mozambique currencies in different denominations.

“A safe abandoned by one of the street hawkers was also recovered. Preliminary investigation showed that some of the suspects are foreigners from Niger Republic. They would soon be charged to court.”