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22 Chinese nationals plead guilty to committing cyber-related crimes in Zambia
Photo Credit: Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission
In a major development, 22 Chinese nationals have pleaded guilty to several of cyber-related crimes in Zambia.
This group, the report by BBC said, was part of a bigger operation that saw the arrest of 77 suspects arrested in April. Local authorities reportedly labeled it as a “sophisticated internet fraud syndicate.”
Local media reported that the Chinese nationals will be sentenced on Friday, June 7. Their guilty pleas address three primary counts which includes misrepresenting information about computers, crimes involving identities, and using a network or service without authorisation.
The crackdown took place at a Chinese-operated company, Golden Top Support Services, located in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. The company, established in the posh Roma area, is, however, yet to make a statement regarding the charges. One Li Xianlin, who’s believed to be the company’s director, is suspected of operating the network without a licence from the Zambian authorities.
This financial fraud affected not only Zambians, but also Singaporeans, Peruvians, United Arab Emirates citizens, and people from other African countries. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) described this crime as a “sophisticated money-laundering” plan.
A Cameroonian citizen was also named and charged with creating a false internet persona in order to commit fraud.
The DCE also revealed the involvement of several young Zambians who were reportedly hired as call-centre agents. These individuals allegedly participated in the fraud by engaging in deceptive discussions with unsuspecting mobile users on chatrooms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and others.
During the raid, a large amount of equipment, including gadgets that allowed callers to conceal their whereabouts and over 13,000 SIM cards, both domestic and international were seized. This seizure indicated the vast reach of the fraud network. In addition, 11 SIM boxes used for routing calls through authentic phone networks were discovered, along with two weapons, 78 rounds of ammunition, and two cars associated with the operation.
The Zambian nationals implicated were charged in April and released on bail to assist with ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, Zambia has seen a surge in internet fraud incidents where both locals and foreigners have fallen victims. Authorities have said they are doing their best to solve the menace.
