Six Arrested in Multi-State Export Scam; Nigerian National Among Accused

Ahmedabad: The city Cybercrime police have busted a large interstate export scam and arrested six people, including a Nigerian national, for cheating a Maninagar businessman of ₹32.7 lakh through a fake pharmaceutical trade deal.

Acting on the businessman’s complaint, police teams led by inspectors P.V. Vaghela and C.T. Desai arrested the accused from Mumbai and Bengaluru on Tuesday. Earlier, five others were detained in Jamnagar in connection with the case.

According to police, the businessman was approached online by people posing as representatives of an African pharmaceutical company. They claimed to be sourcing Eupatorium Mercola liquid — a homeopathic formulation used for malaria and dengue — from an Indian firm called Sharma Enterprises. The gang told him he could buy the product for $6,500 per litre and sell it abroad for $11,000 per litre, promising huge profits.

To gain his trust, they sent a small sample through a “salesman” and even arranged a meeting in Delhi with a man posing as a scientist who confirmed the product’s authenticity. Later, the businessman received a fake purchase order from the so-called African company. Following instructions from the accused, he transferred ₹27 lakh to a bank account in the name of Sharma Enterprises. When he visited the firm’s address in Rajasthan, he discovered it did not exist.

The Investigation

A special cybercrime team traced the suspects through bank transactions and digital evidence. The six arrested on Monday include five Indian nationals — Krishnamati Chaudhary, her husband Mahesh Chaudhary, Salim Shaikh, Trijugilal Kurmi, and Rajeshkumar Saroj — and Nigerian national Madufor Steve Uzochi, who had been staying illegally in Mumbai.

Police said the gang ran a network of fake companies and shell bank accounts to launder money from victims. Many accounts were opened using forged documents under names such as Shree Ram Enterprises, MG Enterprises, and Star Enterprises.

Modus Operandi

Investigations revealed that the gang offered fake business deals involving chemical and pharmaceutical exports. Victims were convinced to send advance payments to accounts of fictitious firms. Each accused had a specific role — from sourcing account holders to withdrawing cash and transferring it abroad. Uzochi handled international money transfers to Nigeria.

Wider Network

The racket is believed to have operated for nearly a decade, with links to over 100 similar fraud cases across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Several of the bank accounts used in this case were also connected to earlier frauds.

Police Advisory

Cybercrime officials have warned businesses to stay alert against export or trade scams that demand advance payments. Authorities advised verifying company credentials, GST details, and physical addresses before entering financial transactions.

Police are now working with the FRRO and Interpol to trace the international money trail and identify more members of the network. The accused are currently under police remand, and further arrests are expected.