Gujarat police have successfully dismantled a massive Rs 77 crore cyber fraud operation, exposing a network of mule bank accounts and international connections to Dubai.
Key Points
- Gujarat police uncovered a Rs 77 crore cyber fraud operation connected to 375 cases across India.
- Sixteen individuals were arrested for operating a mule account network facilitating cyber crime and gaming-related fraud.
- The network maintained communication with foreign-based operators, particularly in Dubai, via WhatsApp and Telegram.
- Police seized laptops, mobile phones, SIM cards, and bank documents revealing extensive fraudulent activities.
- Investigations suggest the involvement of an international cyber fraud network, with links to individuals in Dubai and other foreign countries.
The Gujarat police has unearthed a Rs 77 crore cyber fraud linked to 375 cases registered across the country and arrested 16 accused from different locations in the state as well as Goa, an official said on Monday.
The accused set up a network of mule bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of funds derived from cyber crime and gaming-related fraud, as per police.
They procured bank accounts and SIM cards in the names of other individuals, and these accounts were subsequently utilised to execute cyber fraud schemes, the official said.
The network also maintained active communication with foreign-based operators (particularly in Dubai) through WhatsApp and Telegram groups for coordination and account-sharing, the official said.
Details of the Arrests and Investigation
"Sixteen persons operating a mule account network across Vadodara, Palanpur and Goa were arrested and cyber fraud exceeding Rs 77 crore linked to 375 crimes across the country were uncovered," CID Crime Cyber Centre of Excellence Superintendent of Police Vivek Bheda said.
Nine persons were held from Goa, five from Vadodara and two from Palanpur, he said.
"More than 260 bank account details were recovered from mobile phones of the accused. Some of the accused were involved in setting up fictitious firms, and three such shell firms, set up to facilitate mule account operations, were unearthed. They provided bank account details to their associates engaged in cyber crime and gaming-related fraud, thereby facilitating the laundering of fraudulently obtained funds," he added.
They procured bank account kits and SIM cards from various account holders and supplied them to their cybercrime associates, enabling the movement and concealment of proceeds of cyber fraud, the SP said.
Police seized 15 laptops, 85 mobile phones, 19 chequebooks, 82 passbooks, 126 SIM cards, 115 debit cards, blank cheques, routers, pen drives from their possession, he said.
Technical analysis of the laptop data recovered from the accused revealed bank statements, checkbooks, passbooks, bank login credentials, transaction statements, and PDF files of cyber fraud complaints, stated an official release.
Examination of mobile phones of the accused revealed WhatsApp and Telegram group chats with individuals based in Dubai and other foreign countries, through which bank account details were exchanged, indicating the involvement of an international network, it said.
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