At least seven nationals from Ghana and Nigeria are expected to stand trial in India after allegedly defrauding more than 350 victims of over 94,000 US dollars, according to the Punjab State Police.
The suspects, all men between the ages of 25 and 35, were arrested by the Mohali Cyber Crime Cell of the Punjab Police during a sting operation that reportedly disrupted an international online fraud network.
According to Indian news outlet The Indian Express, the group had been operating from a rented apartment in Noida, where they are alleged to have set up a fake call centre to carry out their scams.
During the raid, police confiscated 79 smartphones, four laptops including two Apple MacBooks, 99 SIM cards issued in both Indian and foreign names, and documents linked to 31 fake bank accounts.
Authorities have estimated the total value of the seized items at around 30 lakh Rupees, while the fraudulent transactions associated with the group are said to total approximately 15 crore, or more than 94,000 US dollars.
Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans confirmed the arrests and said the suspects used fake social media profiles to lure Indian and foreign nationals.
They promised expensive gifts from abroad and later claimed customs had withheld the parcels, demanding payment in the form of clearance fees or taxes.
“Our team used advanced cyber tools and covert strategies to track down and apprehend the culprits,” he said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, who led the operation, noted that the house used for the operation was rented by a Nigerian woman whose whereabouts are currently unknown.
She also said the suspects had opened multiple bank accounts in private banks and that investigations were ongoing into the names behind the accounts and the procurement of the SIM cards.
The scam, according to police, did not only affect Indian victims. Some of the suspects allegedly targeted fellow Nigerian nationals by offering fake job opportunities in India.
The accused have already appeared before a court in Mohali and have been remanded in police custody for two days to assist with ongoing investigations.
This case follows a recent bust by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau involving another group of Nigerian nationals accused of drug trafficking.
That investigation revealed the use of fake identities, expired visas, and fraudulent marriages to support their illegal activities.
