26 suspects from Pune, Hyderabad, and Visakhapatnam have been taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a result of an operation to disrupt a significant cybercrime network spanning 32 locations. Additionally, the network targeted potential victims overseas.
Eleven of them were held in Visakhapatnam; ten of them were picked up from Pune, and five from Hyderabad. Using four contact centers, the CBI focused on 170 people who were allegedly involved in online criminal activity during the exercise.
The Homeland Security Investigations Department of the United States and other international law enforcement organizations are closely collaborating on the cybercrime network investigation.
In connection with Operation Chakra-III, which is now underway, the agency’s International Operations Division filed a First Information Report (FIR) on September 24 in response to new information. It began an inquiry, and on September 26, it conducted coordinated searches at many locations in Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Vishakhapatnam.
The CBI said that four contact centers controlled by V.C. Infrometrix Private Limited—Viajex Solutions in Hyderabad, Atriya Global Services Private Limited in Visakhapatnam, V.C. Infrometrix Private Limited in Murli Nagar, Visakhapatnam, and Regent Plaza in Pune—were running the network.
Digital evidence seized
26 people have been arrested by the agency thus far, and it is presently looking into the involvement of additional suspects who may have worked at the aforementioned contact centers. As a result of the searches, important digital evidence and purportedly damning documents were seized. Seized materials totalled about 951 and included laptops, mobile phones, electronic gadgets, bank records, and communication records. In addition, three luxury cars, locker keys, and ₹58.45 lakh in cash have been taken into custody.
According to the CBI, the cybercriminals engaged in a variety of illegal actions, such as posing as tech support services and contacting victims, particularly those in the US, and asserting that their systems had been compromised.
“The victims were made to believe that their identities had been stolen and that a large number of unauthorized transactions were being made in their bank accounts. They were falsely made to believe that they were under the surveillance of law enforcement agencies due to suspicious orders purportedly placed by them. The impersonators then induced them to transfer their bank holdings into new bank accounts given by the cybercriminals on the pretext of safeguarding their finances,” said an official.
In certain cases, the offenders used fear to coerce the victims into sending them money via cryptocurrencies or overseas gift cards, which resulted in significant losses for them.
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