The Commissioner of Police in Gombe State, Mr Shina Olukolu, on Tuesday said the police have arrested five suspected members of a fake dollar syndicate in Gombe, the state capital.

Olukolu said in a statement made available to newsmen in Gombe that the suspects were arrested with 60 pieces of fake 100 US dollar notes.

He said the arrested suspects had taken advantage of the upcoming Muslims annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to defraud innocent pilgrims of their money through sales of fake dollars.

“It is common knowledge that the Muslim faithful annual pilgrimage to Mecca is around the corner and in the same vein some criminal elements have perfected plans to take undue advantage of this to defraud pilgrims.

“Five (members of a) fake dollar syndicate were arrested from different locations based on credible information from members of the public.

‘‘These arrests were made by the combinations of the Police X-Squad and Police State Intelligence Bureau.

“Two of the suspects who were arrested with two pieces of one hundred US dollar notes had invited one Tamin Idris from Lagos to Gombe State to be defrauded before the SIB nabbed them,’’ he said.

The commissioner advised intending pilgrims to desist from buying dollars from unauthorised persons and places offering ridiculous rates as opposed to official channels.

He assured that the police would continue to truncate the plans of criminals, arrest and prosecute them in accordance with the law.