DEC NABS CHINESE NATIONAL
….. for money laundering offences involving over US$14.9 million and over K3 million
Lusaka, Monday 9th October, 2023
The Drug Enforcement Commission, through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit, has arrested and charged a Chinese national for money laundering offences involving over 14.9 million United States dollars and over 3 million Zambian Kwacha.
DEC Public Relations Officer Hussein Khan has identified the suspect as Longrong Chen, male aged 29, a manager and signatory to the business accounts for Crowline Trading Limited domiciled at a known bank.
“Particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between 1st November 2022 and 29th September 2023, the suspect jointly and whilst working with other persons unknown received a sum of USD 248,993.00 in the company dollar account through an isolated cyber fraud. Further, in the same period under review, the business accounts for the named company received about USD 14,704,274.44 and ZMW 3,031,775.00 through large deposits and transfers on both accounts, which monies are suspected to be proceeds of crime,” he said.
“Additionally, the said amounts were transferred to some offshore accounts purporting to show that they were ordering goods when, in fact, they were not.
The suspect has since been charged with being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime and money laundering.”
Meanwhile, the commission arrested Alice Phiri, female, aged 24 and Brian Zulu, male, aged 40, in a special operation conducted in Lusaka’s Chawama township for being in possession of counterfeit notes amounting to over USD170, 000.00.
In another matter, the commission arrested and charged Amukwe Mubuyaeta, a male aged 41, for obtaining credit by false pretences and money laundering.
“Particulars of the matter are that the suspect jointly and whilst acting together with others unknown on dates unknown but between 1st January 2023 and 11th September 2023 fraudulently obtained a loan of K80, 000 from a known microfinance company by purporting that he was a known medical doctor employed under the Ministry of Health at the University Teaching Hospital when in fact not,” he added.
“All suspects are expected to appear in court soon. We therefore wish to urge all members of the public to safeguard their identity documents, such as National Registration Cards, owing to the increased levels of fraud in the country. Further, all players in the financial space are encouraged to hasten their due diligence protocols to protect their clients.”