Five individuals of Zimbabwean nationality were recently arrested, accused of the crime of fraud related to electronic payment instruments and channels. In his possession, 30 mobile phones, 80 SIM cards and various computer equipment were found.
A gang made up of five Zimbabwean individuals is already at odds with the Police, for allegedly committing crimes of electronic fraud.
These are individuals between the ages of 27 and 58, who have been in Mozambique illegally since 2018 and used a transport company based in Zimbabwe.
The spokesman for the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Ilário Lole, says that his institution continues to gather evidence, although those that already exist prove that it is a gang.
"These individuals, using the same company, recruited citizens from the City of Maputo who, with promises of payment of some monetary value, asked them to acquire cards, in several mobile telephony, register with their data and proceed with the opening of mobile accounts, cases like M-Pesa and E-Mola”, said Ilário Lole, spokesman for SERNIC.
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In his possession, 80 SIM cards were found, registered by individuals still at large, for national and international transactions.
"SERNIC has no doubts that these were fraudulent transactions, as they have no justification. These amounts range from five thousand to 100 thousand meticais, transactions made almost daily”, explained the agent.
Lole added that the arrested individuals claimed that the transactions were for the purchase of used clothing bales, but nothing of this has been proven, which reinforces the accusation.
"The entire amount entered via international transfers to your contacts, but also to third parties, which SERNIC is still trying to identify".
The defendants deny the accusations and say they are doing honest business, by facilitating the purchase of products and shipping to their country of origin.
Two of the defendants are father and son, and the father is a partner of the carrier in question, and said that he only helps his son and friends to transport the purchased goods.
SERNIC calls, however, on citizens to refuse requests for the use of their data to open accounts whose purpose is not known, under penalty of becoming accomplices in the crimes that result.
