The Indian authorities have arrested seven Nigerian nationals for allegedly defrauding more than 350 people via online romance scams.

Security operatives in Mohali apprehended them on Saturday in Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, following a tip-off.

The Times of India said the suspects defrauded 350 people of Rs 15 crore (N2.79bn) from different states of the Asian country.

Seventy-nine smartphones, two laptops, two MacBooks, 99 Indian and foreign SIM cards, and 31 fake bank accounts were retrieved from them.

Senior Superintendent of Police in Mohali, Harmandeep Hans, said the accused used to create fake profiles on social media, describing themselves as pilots and engineers to defraud unsuspecting people.

Hans said, “They befriended hundreds of men and women this way, gained their trust, and lured them by sending expensive gifts and even dollars.

“Later, they would ask for money in the name of customs or taxes. If no one fell into their trap, they would resort to blackmailing married people, whom they would mostly target, by threatening to leak their obscene private chats with them or photos shared with them.”

In another development, two Nigerians, Victor Onuwalla and Invebuva Chimaobi, were arrested for drug trafficking.

Onuwalla and Chimaobi were apprehended in Maharashtra’s Palghar district for possession of cocaine, mephedrone, and other items valued at Rs 11.58 crore, approximately N2.14bn.

An Indian online newspaper, Devdiscourse, reported on Thursday that the two Nigerians were arrested following a raid by security operatives on Evershine city.

A crime investigator, Samir Ahirrao, said the raid was conducted on Monday, adding that the case would be treated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

He said, “According to authorities, the Valiv police are continuing their investigations to gather additional details about the wider drug-peddling network that the arrested individuals may be associated with.”