A Nigerian national, Esowanne Emeka, and his two aides, Edward Pradhan and Chetan Nimbu, have been arrested by the Lucknow police in Uttar Pradesh, India, for allegedly duping a man of over N2.4m on the pretext of sending a parcel.
The Lucknow police disclosed this in a statement on Monday, April 10, 2023, adding that the gang was arrested from Delhi.
Police officials said the Nigerian national, who has been staying in India illegally ever since his study visa expired with his gang has duped over 100 persons across the country using the same modus operandi.
The DCP Central Zone, Aparna Rajat Kaushik, said that the cyber cell got involved in the case after a Madeyganj resident Naveen Singh Samuel lodged an FIR of being duped of Rs 1.38 crore.
The victim, in his FIR, alleged that he had got a call on August 4, 2022, and was told that a parcel from Poland had been sent in his name.
The caller introduced himself as John, a Customs officer.
The victim contacted Felix Warsaw of Poland and the latter told him that he was very much influenced with the religious events which he had been organising and uploading on YouTube and that he was sending the parcel as a gift.
After this, the ‘Customs officer’ called the victim and told him that the parcel contained one million pound and gold.
The fake officer then asked the victim to pay taxes and fees, and took Rs 1.38 crore in different bank accounts.