Police grab fraudster for selling bicycle parts as oil drilling pumps
The Cantonments Police in Accra have arrested a man believed to be a member of a group who defraud people with bicycle parts purporting to be drilling pumps needed for the oil industry.
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The suspect, Osmanu Moro, 28, was arrested by the police when he was about to deliver 10 boxes of the said drilling pump gaskets at $5,500 each to a businessman.
After examining the small metallic rings labelled as ball racers packed in boxes, the police found that they were bicycle fittings.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Cantonments District Police Commander, Mr Iddi Seidu, said on August 16, 2014, the businessman received a call from a man who claimed to be an old friend.
“The caller claimed he was in the mining business in Conakry, Guinea and wanted to introduce the businessman to a very lucrative business,” he said.
Call from Captain Morgan
The caller explained that the business involved the purchasing of oil drilling pump gaskets sold at $5,500 per box which could be resold to a foreign partner at $7,500 per box.
Later, Mr Seidu said another person called the businessman with a United Kingdom telephone line and introduced himself as Captain Morgan who was interested in buying 200 boxes of the oil drilling pump gaskets.
He said Captain Morgan claimed two of his partners would arrive in Ghana and directed the victim to meet them at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra on August 17, 2014.
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On the scheduled day, Mr Seidu said the businessman went to the airport to meet the said partners and at the arrival hall, the businessman received a call from a man who introduced himself as Mr Ansah, a customs officer.
The customs officer informed the businessman that the two expatriates from South Africa had been arrested for carrying a cash of one million dollars against Ghana’s money laundering law.
Bicycle ball racers
On August 18, 2014, Mr Seidu said the businessman received another call from Captain Morgan who informed him that the two persons had been released.
“However, instead of the 200 boxes agreed on earlier, Captain Morgan said the partners could only buy 10 boxes of the drilling pump gasket.”
The victim was then asked to deliver two boxes of the drilling pump gaskets for the partners to verify their quality.
With the help of the caller in Guinea, the businessman was linked up with a supplier who sold two boxes of the said oil drilling pump gaskets for $10,000.
After receiving the two boxes, the businessman then presented them as samples to the partners who confirmed that the oil drilling pump gaskets were of good quality.
The victim, who became suspicious at a point, informed the police about the transaction.
On August 21, policemen in plain clothes laid ambush and watched as Moro delivered the 10 boxes of the supposed drilling pump gaskets.
Writer’s email: emelia.ennin@graphic.com.gh