AHMEDABAD: In a shocking case that has rocked Gujarat’s Surat’s famed diamond market, six prominent diamond traders from the city have fallen victim to a sophisticated international online fraud.
The con, orchestrated through the global diamond trading portal Rapnet, resulted in a total loss of Rs 4.80 crore worth of diamonds. The fraudster, operating under the alias Arson Isako, posed as a genuine international buyer and vanished without making payments after receiving the high-value consignments.
The scam came to light when Sanjaybhai Jadavbhai Goti, a diamond trader operating under the name Neelkanth Solitaire in Mahidharpura’s Shubham Building, reported a major fraud.
A resident of Kapodra area, Sanjay had listed a consignment of diamonds worth Rs 81 lakh for sale on the online diamond trading platform Rapnet in March of the previous year. On June 3, Sanjay received a call from an unknown mobile number. The caller introduced himself as Arson Isako, claiming interest in purchasing the listed diamonds. Presenting himself as a reputed international trader, Isako requested the consignment to be delivered either to Dubai or Hong Kong.
To verify the buyer's credibility, Sanjay conducted background checks within the diamond community, which at the time suggested the buyer was legitimate. Trusting the information, Sanjay arranged the shipment of the diamonds to Dubai through his friend Deepak Garmorani, who operates from a Dubai-based office.
The consignment was successfully delivered, and initially, everything appeared in order. However, trouble began when Sanjaybhai followed up for payment. Despite multiple attempts, Isako stopped responding to calls and ceased all communication on WhatsApp, violating standard trade practices. Realizing he had been duped, Sanjaybhai began investigating independently within the diamond network of Surat.
To his alarm, he discovered that he was not the only victim. Five other traders from Surat had been similarly conned by the same individual under the same pretense of international diamond purchase. The other victims were identified. Each trader had dispatched diamonds to Dubai on the basis of deals made through Rapnet, only to be met with silence and unreachable contacts once the goods were delivered. The total fraud across all six victims has amounted to an estimated Rs 4.80 crore.
Following this discovery, Sanjay approached the Surat Crime Branch and lodged an official complaint against the fraudster. The Surat Crime Branch is now exploring multiple angles, including international cyber fraud, misuse of online trading platforms, and potential loopholes in the vetting process of such portals.
Authorities are also coordinating with international counterparts to trace the whereabouts of the accused and recover the lost assets. This incident has sent ripples across Surat’s diamond market, highlighting the vulnerabilities in online trade practices, even in one of the world’s most secure and prestigious markets. It serves as a grim reminder for traders to exercise extreme caution, especially while dealing with international clients through digital platforms. The case is currently under active investigation, and more details are expected to emerge as the probe deepens into what could be part of a larger international racket targeting Indian diamond merchants.