AHMEDABAD, India - Police in the western Indian state of Gujarat said Tuesday that they had arrested two Malaysian men along with four other foreigners for allegedly defrauding banks using stolen travellers cheques.

Satish Verma, deputy inspector general of police said the pair came under suspicion when they tried to cash stolen travellers cheques on Monday at a bank in Bhuj town, some 300 kilometers north of Gujarat's commercial capital Ahmedabad.

Bigger network

"Sensing something was amiss, the bank manager sought clarification from the Bombay branch of American Express which said the cheques had been stolen from a British national in Goa," said Verma.

"These two Malaysians had stolen cheques from different parts of India and showed fake passports to encash US$300 to US$400 at different places. We believe they have accomplices spread across India and could be part of a bigger crime network."

Verma added that the police had also arrested four other foreigners working with the arrested Malaysians.

"We are trying to learn their identities, but you must understand they use fake passports ... we suspect they might be Africans. It's really hard to say at this stage of investigation," Verma said. - AFP