A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of 73 properties and thousands of gadgets tied to a cybercrime and money laundering ring allegedly operated by Chinese nationals.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu granted the order on April 23, 2025, in response to an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a company named Genting International Co.
Items affected by the forfeiture include 1,596 laptops, 4,091 mobile phones, 350 foreign SIM cards, and 3,399 Nigerian SIMs—comprising 1,122 MTN lines, 1,277 Airtel, 684 Glo, and 316 9mobile. Also seized were 194 routers, 205 sofas, 501 bunk beds, 754 mattresses, 40 refrigerators, 10 microwaves, and two whiteboards.
Other confiscated materials listed in the court documents include seven vehicles, 43 CPUs/monitors, 411 deep freezers, 558 office tables, 16 inverter batteries, 14 inverters, 21 UPS units, six gas cylinders, a transformer, two fuel tanks, a network server, and several kitchen and electrical appliances.
The EFCC made the application under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, seeking temporary forfeiture of the items pending further investigations.
Justice Dipeolu stated that the motion had merit and granted the request. The court also directed the EFCC to publish the forfeiture order in a national daily, inviting interested parties to appear within 14 days and show why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to an affidavit by EFCC investigator Kaina Garba, the seized assets were discovered during a December 10, 2024, raid at No. 7 Oyinjolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos—the alleged base of a cybercrime network.
The operation was launched following intelligence that the group, led by Chinese nationals under Genting International, had established a cybercrime training centre targeting young Nigerians.
The recruits reportedly carried out online scams including romance, dating, and fake investment schemes using specialized software and mobile lines.
Additional properties tied to the syndicate were located in Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
A total of 761 suspects, both foreign and Nigerian, were arrested in the operation, while the alleged ringleaders remain at large but are being tracked by authorities.