The Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State, has arrested nine suspects linked to two criminal syndicates involved in the diversion and theft of goods in transit, with stolen items valued at over N60 million recovered.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the zone, Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Gbenga Afolayan.

Jimoh said operatives of the Zone 2 Dragon Team acted on credible intelligence and launched a covert operation aimed at dismantling networks responsible for diverting goods from lawful destinations to illegal buyers.

According to him, nine suspects aged between 42 and 62 were arrested during the operation carried out on May 15.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicates allegedly collaborated with truck drivers and their assistants to divert goods in transit before selling them at reduced prices to receivers.

He explained that members of the first syndicate diverted two 45,000-litre trucks loaded with molasses chemical, originally bound for Benin.

One of the trucks was intercepted in the Itokin area of Lagos while trans-loading the product, while the second was recovered at the Ogere trailer park in Ogun State.

Jimoh added that a second syndicate was also uncovered for diverting a trailer load of dairy products valued at about N28 million, which was originally loaded in Sagamu and headed for Jos but was diverted to Ijebu Ode.

The police chief said the products were recovered before being fully disposed of, adding that investigations were ongoing to apprehend fleeing members of the syndicates.

He assured residents of Lagos and Ogun States that the command remains committed to tackling economic sabotage and other forms of organised crime affecting commercial activities in the region.