Vodafone Ghana, in collaboration with the police, has clamped down on the activities of six SIM Box operators at Teshie, a suburb of Accra and other parts of the country.

The operation led to the retrieval of 25 SIM Box machines valued at approximately $1 million and the arrest of seven individuals involved in the fraud.

A total revenue of GH¢7.2 million would have been lost to the fraudsters.

The success comes after months of surveillance in the Greater Accra, Central and Eastern regions especially to monitor the activities of SIM Box fraudsters.

The detection was made at Teshie, with Vodafone’s investigations team locating the suspects at multiple sites including Teshie-Tsuibleoo, Adabraka, New Town, Kokomlemle, Lapaz New Market, Achimota Saint Johns, Dzorwulu, Agbogba, Haatso, Winneba and Koforidua.

The Head of Corporate Security at Vodafone Ghana, Raymond Xaba, noted: “We are glad that our constant surveillance has led to the arrest of these fraudsters whose operations not only affect us as a network, but also robs the country of large amounts of revenue which may have otherwise been used to undertake development projects. We are very proud of today’s achievement because it has helped to avert a total revenue loss to the state as a result of these activities which amounts to about GH¢7.2 million.”

He revealed that “this is so far the highest detection we have made. In May last year, Vodafone Ghana’s Fraud team, together with the Police CID Anti Fraud unit, embarked on a joint operation that led to the seizure of SIM fraud equipment worth $200,000.”