TGCSB arrests 101 in interstate cybercrime crackdown, traces Rs 17 crore fraud

The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau arrested 101 persons, including 18 women, in a two-week interstate operation across six States and Union Territories. Officials said around Rs 17 crore in fraudulent transactions was traced through mule accounts, with 1,172 cybercrime links identified.

Hyderabad:The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has arrested 101 persons, including 18 women, in a major two week long interstate operation targeting cybercrime networks across six states and union territories.

The operation covered Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, with fraudulent transactions worth around Rs 17 crore traced through mule bank accounts.
TGCSB officials said six special teams comprising more than 100 TGCSB personnel carried out the operation. The highest number of arrests 35 was made in Kerala, followed by 22 in Andhra Pradesh, 17 in Karnataka, 14 in Tamil Nadu, 12 in Telangana and 1 in Puducherry.

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Officials have identified 19 suspects as agents and 81 as mule account holders. Several mobile phones, SIM cards, bank passbooks and cheque books allegedly used in fraudulent transactions were seized.

The probe found that cyber fraudsters obtained mule accounts through agents and intermediaries to receive, transfer and withdraw stolen funds through ATM withdrawals, bulk transfers and overseas linked transactions.

Account holders and intermediaries allegedly received commissions of up to 5 per cent of the amount routed through their accounts.

The arrested suspects are linked to 51 cases registered across seven TGCSB Cybercrime police stations.
Officials have so far traced 1,172 cybercrime links across India, including 206 linked to Telangana. Notably, 50 of the 101 arrested persons have more than five crime links each.

Among those arrested are private employees, an ex-serviceman, a money-exchange operator, an MBA graduate working as a marketing head, and persons allegedly linked to multiple cybercrime cases.
Further investigation is on to identify additional interstate and international links in the cybercrime network.