Two members of tuk-tuk robbery gang arrested in Babil province

BABIL, Iraq — Police in Iraq's Babil province have arrested two members of a gang that used weapons to steal three-wheeled motorcycles known locally as tuk-tuks, according to a statement from the provincial police directorate. The operation was carried out by a special team from the Al-Qasim anti-crime unit, formed on the orders of the Babil police chief after similar thefts increased in the area. Investigators said the suspects approached drivers by offering them a ride, then took them to a remote rural road, where they pointed a gun and a knife at the victims, seized the vehicles and smashed their mobile phones to prevent them from calling for help. Forensic and cybersecurity specialists joined the inquiry and identified the suspects by reviewing security camera footage. The team then set up a reverse sting, posing as a potential new target to lure the gang into a pre-prepared ambush, where the two suspects were caught in the act. During questioning, the detainees confessed to multiple thefts, police said. The provincial directorate said investigations are continuing to recover the stolen vehicles and to identify any additional suspects. No further details were immediately available.