Crackdown on cybercrime offenders in 5 states: Hyderabad cops arrest 23 wanted in 30 cases

Hyderabad: In a major crackdown operation across five States, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police arrested as many as 23 people allegedly involved in 30 cases in Telangana and 359 cases across India.

The crackdown was launched by the five cybercrime teams across Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in view of the alarming rise in cyber fraud cases.

The police seized Rs 40,000 cash, 25 mobile phones, 28 bank passbooks/chequebooks, 23 debit and credit cards, one laptop, three QR code scanners and five shell company stamps from the possession of the accused.

Rs 5.29 crore lost to investment fraud, digital arrest, trading and job fraud

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Hyderabad deputy commissioner of police, Cyber Crime, Dara Kavitha claimed that the victims lost Rs 5.29 crore as a result of the accused’s various offences, including investment fraud, digital arrest, trading and job fraud.

The teams targeted numerous methods, resulting in the arrest of several important people with sophisticated networks that exploit systems and weaknesses to commit large-scale financial frauds. She explained that the observed cases represented a wide range of modes of operation.

Extensive intelligence and innovative investigative procedures

Elaborating further, Kavitha said that the teams worked with police units from other states to locate and apprehend the offenders. To expose the networks behind these fraudulent schemes, the operations were carried out using extensive intelligence and innovative investigative procedures. Critical players, such as bank officials, mule bank account suppliers and kingpins, who were essential in supporting fraudulent activities, were identified and apprehended, she added.

“This week, the police recovered Rs 39 lakh lost by the victims in three separate cases. The raid not only resulted in the recovery of major assets and financial instruments, but it also broke organised fraud syndicates, providing justice for victims all across the country,” the DCP said.

Public advisory

The DCP recommended citizens exercise caution and avoid connecting with persons on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram that offer attractive investment opportunities, as opposed to websites or organisations that promise high returns on small deposits.

“Residents should be careful and wary of strange calls or messages. Always check claims by visiting your local police station, since law enforcement never issues digital arrests or demands money to prove innocence,” the DCP said and added that the public should immediately report the suspicious activity by calling the cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visiting the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.