The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspected fraudsters involved in a vehicle transaction scam involving a Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 valued at N23 million and a purported fraudulent visa transaction of N19 million.

Detectives attached to the Command Monitoring Unit apprehended two suspects identified as Bisi Vado and another known as Small Autos, who allegedly posed as vehicle dealers.

The suspects were accused of obtaining a luxury Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 from one Michael Oluwafemi under the pretext of facilitating the sale and importation of another vehicle from overseas.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abayomi Jimoh, the suspects collected an additional N4 million from the complainant for the purported transaction, bringing the total value of the alleged fraud to N27 million.

Jimoh, in a statement, stressed that after taking possession of both the vehicle and the money, the suspects allegedly failed to deliver on their promises and converted the proceeds to their personal use, prompting the complainant to seek police intervention.

“Following diligent investigation and intelligence gathering, detectives of the Command Monitoring Unit succeeded in tracking down and apprehending the two suspects.

“The case is currently under active investigation, with efforts ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the transaction and recover the alleged proceeds of the offense,” he stated.

The police spokesperson in the state added that the Command has also arrested one Gbenga Omileye, who was alleged to have defrauded one Akinjomo Peter of £10,000, equivalent to N19 million, in a transaction dating back to 2022.

The suspect allegedly collected the substantial sum from the complainant under the pretense of securing United Kingdom student visas for the complainant’s wife and niece.

The suspect reportedly forwarded an admission letter to the complainant purportedly issued in connection with the proposed study arrangement.

However, subsequent checks revealed that the admission letter was fraudulent, and the suspect was subsequently arrested by detectives of the Command Monitoring Unit a few days ago.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Felix Ohagwu, psc, mnips, mspsp, has commended the detectives for their diligence and commitment to unraveling cases of financial fraud and bringing suspected offenders to justice.

“The Commissioner reiterated that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-driven investigation and proactive policing strategies to protect residents from fraudsters and other criminal elements who exploit unsuspecting members of the public.

“The suspects are currently being subjected to further investigation, after which they will be charged to court in accordance with the law upon conclusion of the investigation.”