MALACCA, MALAYSIA: Police arrested two Africans at a rented house in Tengkera on Saturday after a businessman claimed they and two compatriots cheated him of RM600,000 (S$260,400). They told the businessman that with the help of "Quranic verses" and "spirits", they could make US$47 million (RM150 million) appear.

The foreigners, who were introduced to the businessman by a friend last month, told him that if he wanted a stake in the money, he had to give them US$185,000.

State Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Sum Chang Keong said the businessman met two of the foreigners at a house in Tengkera.

"Both men were dressed in robes, skullcaps and carried prayer beads. They led him into a room where they placed a black leather bag on a prayer mat and began reciting verses from the Quran.

"One of them then opened the bag and showed the businessman that there were several stacks of US currency in it to convince him."

Sum said the victim later went to a bank and withdrew US$100,000. The money was passed to the foreigners between Feb 22 and 28.

Several days later the businessman returned with the remaining US$85,000.

"One of the Africans went to the room to 'create' the money while the businessman sat with an accomplice in the living room. After a while there was a loud sound and both of them rushed to the room."

Sum said the businessman told police that the African in the room was acting like he was possessed and his accomplice said that he needed to take him to the hospital.

"That was the last time the foreigners were seen. All further contact was through the phone. After six weeks of waiting for the money, the businessman finally lodged a police report on Saturday."

Police raided the house in Tengkera on the same day and arrested the men. They were unable, however, to recover the money.

"We found several US and Malaysian currency notes. We also seized a robe, a handphone, a safe deposit box, two gold chains, a gold watch, several ATM cards, prayer beads and two skullcaps."

Sum said both men had entered the country several times between 2006 and 2007. They last entered Malaysia on Jan 5 on social visit passes.

They have been remanded for four days.

In another case, police arrested three men aged 18, 19 and 63, in Batu Pahat for cheating several people.

The conmen would call their victims claiming that they (the victims) were wanted for money laundering in Kuala Lumpur. The men were believed to have been involved in at least 14 cases in the state.