Dutch authorities have arrested 12 individuals in Amsterdam and Zaandam for their alleged involvement in a large-scale Nigerian 419 scam. The US Postal Inspection Service assisted in the investigation leading to the arrests. 

Police said in a statement that the gang's criminal gains exceeded $2m. They have confiscated €25,000 in cash, along with computer equipment, bank statements and forged passports.

The fraudsters claimed most of their victims in the US and the four principal suspects face extradition charges. The remaining eight are scheduled to stand trial in The Netherlands.

Nigerian 419 scams fool victims into believing that they will receive millions from a lottery or inheritance.

The victims are usually recruited through spam email and are requested to pay an upfront fee to allow the fortune to be released. The fraud is named after the section in the Nigerian criminal code that outlaws the practice.