Five foreign nationals from Somalia were stopped on the Ohio Turnpike and charged with credit card fraud, possession of forgery tools, as well as drug and traffic violations, authorities say.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported on Wednesday, November 11, that five men from Somalia were pulled over on the Ohio Turnpike near Lordstown in Trumbull County, Ohio for failing to use signals to change lanes. But soon police found devices used to create credit cards as well as some small amounts of marijuana.
Arrested were Jibril Abdiselam, 24; Mohammeddeq Hassan, 27; Mahamoud Mohamed, 26; Zakaria Warsame, 25; and Said Abu, all of whom are currently residing in the Columbus area. All five are being held on $25,000 bond.
The five men were charged with six counts each of possessing criminal tools and identity theft, and Said Abu was charged with criminal simulation and possessing marijuana.
All five were required to hand over their passports.
A grand jury is now considering their case.
Ohio officials say that the five Somalis are not suspected of having any connections to terrorism.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com