New Delhi: Police today claimed to have busted a gang of international cheats including three Nigerians for allegedly duping people by involving them in fake trade of biogenes (herb seed) used in the production of medicines for the treatment of HIV patients.
According to police, the gang used to target victims on social media by creating fake female profiles and luring them into the bogus purchases of the “costly” herbs.
Those arrested have been identified as Jyoti (40), and Abbas Aishat (22), Richardson Ohijeagbon alias Eric John (28) and Daniel Okal (28), the three hailing from Nigeria and presently residing in south Delhi.
Police had received a complaint from a Haryana businessman engaged in real estate business who claimed to have got in touch with one Miss Martha Louis through Facebook one and half months back, following which they exchanged phone numbers.
Upon further contact Louis, who had introduced herself to the complainant as a doctor in a UK pharmaceutical company, told the businessman that previously she used to purchase biogenic seeds from a Delhi-based woman at cheap price and then sell it abroad for huge profit, they said.
She lured the man to purchase seeds in Delhi on lower price and then selling it to her present company at higher price and in this manner making huge profit to both of them, according to the complaint.
The man eventually purchased 10 packets of the biogenic seeds worth Rs 7.4 lakh from the contact given by Louis. When the victim asked for payment of already purchased 10 packets to solemnize the said deal, she asked to supply a consignment of minimum 50 packets. Following this, the complainant purchased 40 more packets costing Rs 35 lakh.
Later when the man could not contact the people anymore, he realised he was being cheated and registered a case with the police.
While Jyoti and Aihsat were arrested from Select City Mall, Saket, at their instance on further raid Eric and Cofe were arrested from Neb Sarai area of south Delhi.
According to police, the accused used to target wealthy men seeking female friend on Facebook by creating a fake ID with good looking female picture.
After developing intimacy on the website, they used to lure that person in a fake trade scam in the name of Biogenes (herb seed) used in the production of medicines for the treatment of HIV +ve patients and other incurable diseases, police said.
Further probe in the case is on and details of other victims are being verified, police added.