Minsk Taxi Driver Helps Detain Phone Scammers' Courier
Employees of the capital's State Traffic Inspectorate and criminal investigation department detained a 19-year-old foreigner, the Interior Ministry's press service reports.
Following instructions from the fraudsters, the young man arrived in Minsk and took over 80 thousand rubles (in equivalent) from a pensioner. He intended to transport the cash abroad by taxi.
The taxi driver, who arrived for the call, noticed the passenger's suspicious appearance and behavior, realized he was involved in a criminal scheme, and reported it to State Traffic Inspectorate officers through his colleagues.
It was revealed that the victim of the fraud was a 73-year-old Minsk resident. Under the threat of criminal prosecution and an apartment search, she handed over all her savings to the courier, allegedly for declaration. The money has been confiscated and will be returned to the owner. A criminal case has been initiated on charges of fraud.
The police remind that accomplices of criminals, along with other participants in criminal schemes, are subject to criminal liability and are obliged to compensate for the damage caused.