Hawks, Interpol arrest 2 men in Pretoria for online romance scam, will seek extradition to US


The Hawks and Interpol have bust an online fraud ring in SA.

  • Two alleged online scammers were arrested in Pretoria.
  • They are thought to have been part of a syndicate carrying out internet scams.
  • The operation, which was carried out by the Hawks and Interpol, also saw laptops and cash confiscated.

The Hawks and Interpol have arrested two foreign nationals in Pretoria for allegedly being part of an online scam syndicate. They are expected to seek the extradition of the two men to the US.

The men, aged 39 and 42, were believed to be members of the “Air Lords” syndicate group, a rival of the “Black Axe” internet romance scammers.

During the operation by the Hawks and Interpol, electronic equipment, including laptops and phones, thousands of rands in cash, and an unlicensed firearm were confiscated in Wapadrand and Sunnyside.

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The extradition hearing of eight alleged Black Axe scammers is currently being heard in the Western Cape High Court. The US Department of Justice wants them to be extradited to face trial in that country.

The group was arrested in Parklands, Cape Town in October 2021, in a high-profile sting operation that included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The group is alleged to have scammed people in the US via the internet. They are accused of…

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