Seven persons were arrested Saturday in Kumasi for engaging in illegal lotto operations.
The National Lottery Authority (NLA) operation was led by the authority’s taskforce supported by the police.
It followed the closure of the licence regime as announced by the authority recently, as part of measures to streamline the lottery industry.
The suspects, who were handed over to the police, are Collins Yeboah, Owusu Gideon and Paul Adade, who were operating for Naa Sei Ventures.
The rest are Gyamerah Akenten, Richard Bright Adom, and Antwi Bruce who were operating for BA Lottos; and Benjamin Owusu who was operating for Sikatuo.
Last Saturday’s operation took place in Asokwa, Oforikrom, Ahodwo and its environs.
The Ashanti Region is notorious for illegal lottery activities hence the spotlight on the location in recent times.
Some illegal lotto operators in the Ashanti Region thinking rather erroneously that with the change in the leadership of the authority they could carry on, got it all wrong when the NLA struck, nabbing the seven persons as more operations are planned.
Leading the charge on the illegal operators was the NLA’s Taskforce which described the operation as successful given the clout of the illegal operators.
Speaking on the operation to the media at the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters, Goodfellow Dei Ofei, Public Relations Manager of the NLA, said “As we indicated, we will continue with such unannounced swoops to clear the system of these illegal operators.”
Continuing, he said “people thought that we will not walk the talk but as you have clearly seen today, we are determined to get results for the authority and Ghana.”
He added, “As I always say, we have given a human face to this exercise and these operators have been given ample time to have their activities properly regularised, but some of these people thought we were joking about our resolve to clear the system of illegal lottery activities. Today’s operation was very successful. We apprehended seven operators at their closing points and some cash which are proceeds from their activities. The police have been of tremendous support to us. We expect to prosecute these suspects as soon as possible.”
The PRO expressed shock at seeing some of the illegal operators had procured fake licences which they boldly display to give a face of legality to their illegal business.
The team also realised that these operators, especially operators of BA Lotto, had business models that were alien to the NLA.
They were paying high commissions and were always paying close to about 50% bonus to players, he disclosed. “We have reason to believe that these operators are using lottery as a disguise to launder money,” he said.
It would be recalled that in September this year, the management of the NLA, headed by its new Director General, Sammi Awuku, engaged the Association of Private Lotto Operators on the modalities of renewing their operational licence for the year 2021/2022.
Following the deliberations, both parties agreed on some modalities which culminated in the licensing procedure.
After the completion of the licence regime, the NLA, with the support of the security services, set out to clamp down on the activities of persons operating lotto illegally.
A series of such operations have occurred in some parts of the Greater Accra, Eastern and Central regions since November 1, last year.
By A.R. Gomda