Police arrest 101 in multi-State cyber fraud crackdown worth ₹17 crore

Law enforcement agencies have arrested 101 suspects across six States in a significant crackdown on organized cyber fraud, exposing a sprawling financial crime network worth approximately ₹17 crore. The operation traced 1,172 cybercrime-related links across the country, with 206 connections identified in Telangana alone, indicating the scale of the illegal activity.

Investigators discovered that the network operated through a mule-account system, where individuals recruited as money mules received commissions of up to 5 per cent for facilitating the transfer of fraudulently obtained funds. The system allowed cybercriminals to distance themselves from their illicit activities while exploiting a network of unwitting or complicit participants who processed transactions through multiple bank accounts.

The coordinated sweep, involving multiple State police departments, represents an escalating effort to combat organized cybercrime networks that have proliferated across India in recent years. Authorities said the operation has disrupted a key infrastructure component used by cybercriminals to launder proceeds from various fraud schemes, including online banking fraud, investment scams, and phishing operations.

Further investigations are underway to identify additional members of the network and trace the sources of the fraudulent funds. Officials emphasized that the success of the operation demonstrates the importance of inter-State coordination in combating crime that operates across jurisdictional boundaries.