New Delhi: An international racket of
multi-million dollar counterfeit MoneyGram money orders,
used in the United States, has been busted by the CBI with the
arrest of three Nigerian nationals here in this connection.
The accused, Adenowo Adekunle Azeez, Dosunmu Oluwatosin
Abimbola and a woman Sanni Animat Olajumoke were arrested by
the agency for allegedly printing, possessing, circulating and
using counterfeit MoneyGram money orders, official sources
said today.
They were allegedly sending these consignments to the
USA through various courier companies while concealing their
identity and whereabouts, they said.
The sources said interrogation of two accused were going
on to locate the place where the counterfeit MoneyGram money
orders were printed.
"During the last six months, counterfeit MoneyGram money
orders having face value of US Dollars 36,78,125 (equivalent
to Rs 17,65,50,000) have been intercepted by the US
authorities in the US, causing a serious alarm there," R K
Gaur, Press Information Officer, CBI, said.
The US authorities had sought help of CBI, which
apprehended one of the accused on January 30 while attempting
to send a consignment of 158 counterfeit MoneyGram money
orders, each of US Dollars 970 having a total face value of US
dollars 1,53,260 (approx Rs 73,56,480), he said.
"Subsequent raids conducted by the CBI at different
locations in South Delhi area resulted in the arrest of other
two gang members, both Nigerian nationals, and also recovered
certain incriminating documents," Gaur said.
The gang was intentionally keeping the denomination of
these money orders below US Dollars 1,000 as US rules require
lot of verification above it, CBI sources said.
They said two of the arrested Nigerians were in India on
a business visa while one has a student visa.
The investigation revealed that the proceeds from the
use of these MoneyGrams was received through Western Union
Money Transfer in India by these gang members, Gaur said.
The arrested persons were produced before the Special
CBI court here, which remanded two accused including the
alleged gang member to police custody till February 4 and
remanded the third accused to judicial custody till February
14, he said.
"Investigation is in progress to identify their links,
modus operandi and the channel of money transfer,
etc. The US authorities are also being approached through the
Interpol," he said.
MoneyGram is an international money transfer service
having presence at 1,86,000 locations in 190 countries and
territories.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 01, 2010, 20:46