Likewise, 17 cases were neutralized during the planning of the robberies, and although no loss of human lives was reported as a result of these events, there were serious injuries due to the extreme violence used by the criminals, Minint added.
The modus operandi is based on the use of digital platforms to capture potential victims, who are interested in carrying out informal money-exchange operations of buying and selling convertible currency, and who become targets of robberies with violence and swindles, while they become involved in currency trafficking crimes and other conducts that promote financial speculation.
Authorities warn that through Facebook and other social networks the perpetrators offer tempting prices for the sale of foreign currency, and agree with their ‘clients’ address, day and exact time to go to make the ‘exchange’.
In general, the crime scene is usually a secluded place, with little movement of people and vehicles, during study hours and outside the municipalities where the victims reside.
Finally, the bearers of large sums of Cuban pesos to buy the promised dollars, are assaulted by individuals who forcefully and in some cases using knives or firearms, threaten them, assault them and steal all the money.
Minint pointed out that the processes carried out by the Technical Department of Investigations, Criminal Investigation and the National Revolutionary Police, have established and neutralized criminal chains dedicated to these robberies.
These networks include the person who makes the proposal on the Internet always using a false profile and with easy communication, the one who gives the face and leads the victim to the crime scene and the attackers, whose number varies depending on the criminal chain.
The authorities insistently have warned that not only vigilance and participation of the population in the confrontation and timely reporting of these events is required, but also to raise the perception of risk in the face of illicit offers from criminals who take advantage of people’s needs and the facilities offered by digital social networks to carry out criminal actions.
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