By Ghazali Ibrahim
Six Nigerian men accused of defrauding more than 100 women in the United States through online romance scams have been extradited from South Africa to the US.
The suspects, who were arrested in South Africa in 2021, were handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport on Friday.
The South African Police Service said the suspects were allegedly members of the Black Axe organised criminal network and were wanted by US authorities over alleged wire fraud and money laundering.
According to SAPS, the suspects allegedly defrauded their victims of more than R100 million through online romance and love scams.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, popularly known as the Hawks, coordinated the extradition with INTERPOL South Africa.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the suspects were transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to the airport before being handed over to the American authorities.
Mogale said the extradition demonstrated continued cooperation between South African and international law enforcement agencies in tackling transnational organised crime.
He added that the process would ensure that the suspects, who are wanted in another jurisdiction, face due legal process in the United States.
