15 Nigerians arrested as police cripple love scam syndicate

Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop looking at some of the mugshots of the suspects at his office.in Seremban.

SEREMBAN: Police have crippled a major "love scam" syndicate with the arrests of 15 Nigerians, says state police chief Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop.

He said the Africans, believed to have been active nationwide since 2017, were detained in separate locations in Port Dickson and Mambau here and in Puchong between July 2 and 7.

With the arrests, police believe they have solved at least 33 cases involving a sum of RM1.5mil.

The suspects were aged between 25 and 43 years old. Three were women.

"We have seized laptops and handphones, as well as some cash, from the suspects.

"The gadgets have been sent for forensic tests, and we expect to come across more cases," he told reporters.

Mohamad said four of the suspects did not have passports, while two were apparently students at a private college.

Nine others were in the country on a social visit pass.

He said the cases were being probed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating as well as under the Immigration Act.