In February of this year, the State Police in Latvia conducted a significant operation resulting in the arrest of ten individuals known as 'money mules', who were collaborating with a network of phone scammers. The operation took place during the last week of February in the Jugla microdistrict of Riga, where law enforcement executed arrests at the moment the crime was occurring. This strategic initiative involved assistance from pharmacy workers, who lent police officers pharmacist coats to facilitate a disguised approach during the arrests of the suspects.

The operation was sparked by a call to the State Police from a woman who reported that her husband was currently on the phone with scammers. The criminals posed as representatives from a bank and later claimed to be from security services, pressuring the victim to surrender his credit card under the guise of security concerns. After consulting with police officers, the woman arranged a meeting with the 'money mule' sent by the scammers at a pharmacy in Riga, ensuring that police could catch the criminals in the act.

Following the woman's tip-off, officers from the Riga North District Police Directorate rapidly proceeded to the agreed meeting location. One of the officers borrowed a pharmacist's coat to maintain the element of surprise, successfully apprehending the suspects at the scene. This operation highlights ongoing efforts by Latvian authorities to combat financial fraud and protect citizens from increasingly sophisticated scam operations in the country.