AHMEDABAD: In a major breakthrough, the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police have busted a six-member interstate cyber fraud gang that allegedly duped a city businessman of Rs 32.7 lakh through a fake export deal involving a “homeopathic medicine” and later funnelled the money to a Nigerian cyber syndicate.
The accused, operating from multiple cities including Jamnagar, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, were caught after a meticulous digital and human intelligence operation led by senior officers of the Cyber Crime Unit.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police have exposed a sophisticated international scam, arresting six members of a gang that channelled money from Indian victims to a Nigerian cyber network through fake pharmaceutical export deals. The operation revealed a well-coordinated racket spread across Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
The case came to light when businessman Nihar Verma filed a complaint stating that he had been duped of Rs 32.72 lakh by fraudsters posing as representatives of an African pharmaceutical company.
The gang had contacted him online, claiming they sought an Indian supplier for Eupatorium Mercola, a homeopathic liquid used in Africa for treating malaria and dengue.
The fraudsters lured Verma into believing he could earn huge profits by sourcing the product from a supposed Indian vendor, Sharma Enterprises Manufacturing, and reselling it to the African buyer.
Initially, to gain his trust, the complainant was asked to purchase a sample worth Rs 5.52 lakh, which was supposedly verified by an African “lab scientist” in Delhi named Moshin Murray.
Convinced that the deal was legitimate, Verma proceeded with a larger order, transferring Rs 27 lakh as an advance to a bank account shared by the accused. However, when he personally visited the claimed address of Sharma Enterprises in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, he discovered that no such company existed, exposing the elaborate online con.
Following the complaint, registered under IPC Sections 316(2), 318(4), 319(2), 61(2), and IT Act Sections 66(C) and 66(D), the Cyber Crime Police Station, Ahmedabad, swung into action. Using advanced technical surveillance and human intelligence, the team tracked digital footprints and bank transactions linked to the accused.
Initially, five suspects, Asgar Aziz Pathan, Abhishek Maheshbhai Joshi, Pravinbhai Bhojabhai Nandania, Deep Popatpari Goswami, and Nitin Babubhai Bhatia, were arrested from Jamnagar.
Acting on leads from interrogations, two separate teams led by Police Inspector P.V. Vaghela and Police Inspector C.T. Desai were dispatched to Bengaluru and Mumbai, resulting in the arrest of six accused in total, including key operatives connected to the Nigerian handlers.
Speaking on the operation, a senior Cyber Crime Police official said, “This was not a routine cyber fraud; it was a layered scam executed with international coordination. The accused created fake identities, websites, and business profiles to trap the victim. Our teams tracked multiple digital trails and bank accounts to uncover how the funds were routed to a Nigerian network. Six accused have been arrested, and further investigation is underway to trace their foreign links.”
Sources within the Cyber Crime Cell revealed that the arrested accused allegedly acted as money mules, transferring funds received from victims across accounts in India and abroad, making detection difficult.
The seized digital evidence, including mobile phones, forged documents, and banking credentials, is now being analysed for deeper connections.
Officials said more arrests are likely as the investigation widens to trace the Nigerian masterminds who allegedly orchestrated the operation through fake import-export fronts and online intermediaries.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Police have urged citizens to remain cautious about online trade offers promising high returns, stressing that no legitimate company asks for large advances without physical verification.