Nemesis has caught up with a syndicate that specialised in diverting goods at the Tin Can Port Apapa Lagos.

The syndicate, including four men and a woman, was exposed after they attempted to bribe police officers attached to Festac Division, Area E Command, Lagos, with the sum of N250, 000 after they were arrested on Wednesday while allegedly attempting to divert a trailer load of bags of cashew nuts worth N13.7million meant for export.

The syndicate would have succeeded in their scheme but luck ran out on them when a team of policemen led by Inspector Peter Alyasi attached to the Area E Command Festac while on stop and search patrol at the No Man’ s Land area of the town intercepted the trailer.

Inspector Alyasi subsequently demanded to see the content of the goods and their vehicular documents. Instead of giving the policemen what they requested for, the syndicate led by the alleged criminal receiver of the goods offered the police N250, 000 bribe.

A police source said: “The woman claimed to be the owner of the goods but when she was questioned, she began to fidget and offered to bribe the policemen to let the trailer go without inspection. The policemen pretended as if they were cooperating with the syndicate and the woman brought out N100, 000 cash and offered it to the policemen. Immediately, the policemen arrested the woman, the driver and others and drove the trailer loaded with cashew nuts to the Area E command and detained the suspects.”

It was gathered that Inspector Alyasi under the instructions of the Area E Commander found out the authentic owner of the goods was a certain Mr. Bumi Olumekun and subsequently called him on the telephone to come to the station to identify his goods.