…Special fraud unit tackles suspects
CITIZENS COMPASS— The Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Lagos, on Wednesday, said it has uncovered a counterfeit manufacturing operation at Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State, following an investigation into the activities of Meibalun International Nigeria Limited.
PSFU spokesperson, DSP Ovie Kenneth Ewhubare, disclosed this in his updates saying that activities at this game factory involved the following suspects: Ojeleye Esther ‘F, Olulenu Adebola ‘M, Adewunmi Titilayo ‘f, including two Chinese nationals Zhu Hai Chen ‘m’ and Zhou Hai Fen ‘f’.
He said: The investigation, revealed the counterfeiting activities of a company which purports themselves as manufacturers of Nigerian made footwears whereas they were found producing and marketing various footwear products bearing the names and trademarks of international brands like Gucci, Nike, Timberland, Louis Vuitton, Adidas and others, without established authorisation from the respective trademark owners.
Further investigation by the Stock Capital Market Fraud Section of the Unit revealed questionable financial practices within the company’s operations, as payments from customers were laundered into private bank accounts rather than the company’s designated corporate account which prompted further financial tracing to establish the ownership, movement and utilisation of the proceeds of crime. The suspects admitted that the use of imitated foreign brand names generated greater sales and market patronage for the company than products marketed under Nigerian-made branding. This admission further strengthened the investigative direction of the Unit and underscored the need to examine the commercial and financial structures sustaining the operation.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo, B.Sc, MILD, reiterated that the Unit’s mandate to combat financial crimes extends beyond conventional banking and investment fraud to other commercial practices capable of undermining the integrity of the financial and business ecosystem as he emphasised that the Police Special Fraud Unit Lagos would not allow its investigative attention to be restricted to conventional financial fraud while other criminal activities capable of facilitating economic sabotage, copyright infringement amongst others to go unchecked. He further assured members of the public that the Unit would pursue the investigation professionally and in accordance with due process, ensuring that all persons found culpable are brought to justice.
