Six Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding more than 100 women in the United States through alleged online romance scams have been extradited from South Africa to the US.

The suspects, who were arrested in South Africa in 2021, are alleged to be members of the Black Axe organised criminal network.

The South African Police Service said the extradition was facilitated by its Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, popularly known as the Hawks, in collaboration with INTERPOL South Africa.

The suspects were wanted by United States authorities over allegations of wire fraud and money laundering.

According to the South African authorities, the six Nigerians allegedly defrauded their victims of more than R100 million through online romance or love scams.

The suspects were handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service at the Cape Town International Airport on Friday.

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 US law enforcement officials.

Mogale said the extradition demonstrated the continued cooperation between South African law enforcement agencies and their international counterparts in the fight against transnational organised crime.

He said the collaboration was aimed at disrupting organised criminal networks and ensuring that suspects wanted in other jurisdictions were brought before the appropriate authorities to face due legal process.

The extradition comes as authorities in both countries intensify efforts to tackle cross-border financial crimes and online fraud.