Thane (Maharashtra): Four persons, including a Nigerian national, have been arrested for duping a man from Bhayander here to the tune of Rs 22.60 lakh by selling exotic seeds to him, which they claimed could fetch good money from foreign drug companies, police said.

The accused were arrested on Thursday from Bhayander, based on a complaint filed on June 21 by Anilkumar Jagdambaprasad Mathur, District Superintendent of Police Mahesh Patil said. According to police, the accused contacted the victim via social media and told him that they have potiga seeds, which they said pharma companies abroad use in drugs and sale of these seeds to these firms can fetch good money.

“The accused informed the victim that the seeds can be sold abroad, including UK, for manufacturing medicines for a high premium. They also introduced the victim to the local suppliers and pretended that the seeds are exotic and had been imported after Customs clearance,” he said.

“They sold the seeds to him at around Rs 1.5 lakh per 400 gram. To pose as if the deal was genuine, they called the victim to a posh hotel at the airport and introduced him to a potential buyer, who happened to be a member of their team,” Assistant Police Inspector Prafulla Wagh said.

The fake buyer examined the seeds and certified it to be genuine. He assured good price for it. Believing all this, the victim ordered more seeds and got trapped, the officer added. The accused, including the mastermind of the gang, Uzomae Leazlar, a Nigerian national, and his associates Toufique Hussain Mia (47), Fazal Ahmed Safique Ahemed Sayyed (28), Yogeshkumar Sharappa Patil (39), all three residents of different parts of Navi Mumbai, were arrested and remanded in police custody till July 27, police said.

Ten mobile phones, three laptops, two scooters and a cash of Rs 4.2 lakh have been recovered from the arrested. The accused suspected to have duped several hundred people in a similar fashion and further investigation in this regard is on, police added.

PTI