EFCC Raids Astrax Autos, Seizes 29 Cars

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, seized a total of 29 exotic cars during a raid on the office of a Lagos-based car dealer, Astrax Auto Shop.

The raid followed intelligence report received by the Commission on the activities of the operators of the auto shop, who were said to be a syndicate of organised internet fraudsters.

Investigation revealed that the syndicate, which specialized in Business Emails Compromise, BEC, in the United States of America, usually moved proceeds of its alleged illicit business to a nominated bank account owned by their mules in the U.S.
The syndicate members allegedly laundered the proceeds through money order, which they used to purchase cars in American auctions and ship same to Nigeria for sale.
The EFCC had earlier arrested one of the syndicate members, Olusegun Micheal Adeyemi. In his statement to the EFCC, Adeyemi confirmed one Tayo Onilogbo Yusuf as the Managing Director of Astrax Autos and Automobile.

The cars recovered from the syndicate included: four Toyota Corolla; seven Toyota Camry; two Toyota Highlander; two Toyota Venza; two Range Rover; one Ford SUV; three Mercedes Benz; one Toyota 4runner; one Toyota Sienna; four Honda Accord; one Toyota Sequoia and one Kia car.