Basra police nab extortion ring accused of luring victims through social media

BASRA — Basra Police Command said Friday it had arrested a nine-member extortion network, including six men and three women, accused of using social media to lure victims and blackmail them with staged confrontations and recorded footage.

In a statement, police said the suspects were detained in an operation carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department in coordination with the Cyber Intelligence Division of the Intelligence Agency.

According to investigators, the women involved in the group initiated contact with victims online and arranged in-person meetings. After the meetings began, other members of the network would raid the location, claiming to be a husband or relative of the woman, and film the encounter.

Police said the group then used the recordings to extort money, threatening victims with exposure or with forcing them into tribal settlements unless payments were made. Initial investigations showed the suspects obtained large sums of money and carried out multiple blackmail operations using the same method.

In its statement, Basra Police Command warned residents about similar schemes, saying such cases “often begin with fake relationships and end in financial extortion,” and urged the public to report suspicious activity through official channels.

Authorities said the suspects have been referred to judicial authorities for legal action.