14 DAY TRIAL // A couple of Nigerians and two of their accomplices have been arrested by South African authorities for possession of marijuana. An investigation revealed that they were actually operating a massive 419 scam, also known as an advance fee scam.
According to IOL News, authorities were called in to investigate a smell of pot coming from a hotel room in Cape Town. That’s where they found Nigerian nationals Oluwaseye Ajibola Ogmechi and Pius Okunbor.
When police entered their room, they found several phones and laptops connected to the Internet. The suspects were taken in for possession of cannabis and the devices were seized.
Upon a closer inspection, authorities realized that the individuals had tricked a large number of Internet users into sending them a total of $870,000 (€647,000).
One of the identified victims is a woman from Australia who had sent the crooks $180,000 (€134,000). Just as the police walked into the hotel room from which they had been operating, one of the scammers was writing an email to a victim requesting $35,000 (€26,000).
The suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud, unlawful possession of drugs, and violation of the Electronic Communication and Transactions Act.