Fraudster gang held
Fraudster gang held
They took money from 18 people promising them job in Iraq
The Rapid Action Battalion has busted a gang of fraudsters, who would take money from people with false promises of getting them work abroad.
The elite force has also taken 18 victims of the gang in its custody.
The victims said they paid Tk 4 to 6 lakh to the fraudsters, who had pledged to send them to Iraq via Oman.
"Promises were made that they would be sent to Oman on tourist or transit visa. After that, they would go to Iraq illegally," Lt Col KM Azad, commanding officer (CO) of Rab-2, told at a press briefing yesterday at Rab-2 headquarters in the capital.
The swindlers are ringleader Mizanur Rahman, 46; Amirul Islam, 38; Abdullah Al Mamun; Salma Akter, 42; Abdur Rob, 45; Mizanur Rahman, 52; Qurban Ali, 54; Rejaul Khan, 35; and Shawkat Ali, 34.
They were detained in raids in Karwan Bazar slum, Farmgate and Tejkunipara areas on Tuesday night.
The Rab seized nine passports, four of which had "fake" Iraq visas, five e-visas of Oman and four of Iraq from the detainees.
During primary interrogation, gang leader Mizanur said he had been involved in the business for the last three years. So far, his gang has sent about 120 people to Iraq.
"The gang worked in three phases. First, a group would identify people who want to go abroad. Another group would prepare fake and legal documents like passports and visas for the clients. The third group led by Mizanur would handle the financial issues and was responsible for arranging places for the clients' stay in Dhaka and getting them through the immigration at airport,” said Rab-2 CO Azad.
The gang has two agents named Kalam and Shahjahan in Iraq. They would help the fortune-seekers entering the country from Oman.
The Rab later called in the victims to the Rab-2 headquarters at Agargaon yesterday.
Five of the victims were from Tangail's Sakhipur and they were duped by Shawkat of the same place.
One of them is Aminul. He claimed to have paid Shawkat Tk 4.5 lakh before the Eid-ul-Azha.
Another victim Farid Miah, who had been in Saudi Arabia for three years, said Shawkat had helped him to get his visa back then. So, he trusted Shawkat and paid him Tk 4.20 lakh a few months back with the hope of going to Iraq this time.
"Shawkat had sent people from my village to Iraq earlier. He told me that they were earning well there,” said Farid.