AMMAN — Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of 16 foreign nationals in connection with an alleged financial fraud and human trafficking operation in Irbid.

 

The Cyber Crime and Human Trafficking Units that are affiliated with the Public Security Directorate (PSD) opened a joint investigation following a complaint that a “fake company hired Asian employees to run suspicious financial activities,” Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

 

“We received information that this company was running unknown operations and had hired Asian employees. So we placed the premises under surveillance,” Sartawi told The Jordan Times.

 

The investigation teams then raided the premises and arrested the owner, who is an Arab national, and 15 Asian employees, Sartawi added.

 

“The investigation teams seized large numbers of computers and mobiles,” he added.

 

Upon conducting a technical examination of the computers and mobile devices, Sartawi maintained that they found electronic financial trading platform applications on them.

 

The police official said that investigators reviewed fraud complaints that were lodged by citizens regarding financial investment companies and “they matched the financial platform applications that were found on the seized computers and mobiles”.

 

Meanwhile, in their initial testimony to the authorities, the 15 Asian employees claimed that they came to work in Jordan after responding to an employment advertisement, according to Sartawi.

 

Once in Jordan, the police official maintained, “they were forced to work in the fake company after the employer confiscated their official travel documents and identifications”.

 

Sartawi urged the public to “investigate any financial trading company they wish to invest their money in by visiting their official location and checking their operating licenses so that they do not fall victim to scam operations.

 

The relevant authorities are currently investigating the case and will be referred to the concerned judiciary for further questioning and indictment, according to a statement by the PSD.