'Law enforcement will track you down': Delhi police dismantles international digital fraud syndicate, arrests 10 after raids in 7 states

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday claimed to have made a massive breakthrough in the fight against high-stakes cybercrime, revealing the dismantling of an international digital fraud and extortion syndicate.

In a multi-state operation culminating in arrests across three major cities, police apprehended the mastermind and nine associates, closing the book on frauds amounting to over Rs 50 crore.Coordinated raids were executed by cops from the southeast district across seven states. The bust, described by authorities as a coordinated action against a sophisticated pan-India network, led to the arrest of 10 fraudsters, including the primary mastermind.The syndicate was linked to a fraud amount exceeding Rs 50 crore, involving 61 registered complaints on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP).Raids were carried out in Delhi, Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, highlighting the immense geographical span of the criminal operation. Key accused persons were apprehended from strategic locations in Kerala (including the mastermind), Delhi, and Mumbai (Maharashtra).

The syndicate's modus operandi, which is under continued investigation, involved intricate layers of digital impersonation, phishing, and various extortion tactics. Authorities believe the mastermind, who was operating largely from Kerala, orchestrated the fraudulent transactions, while associates in Delhi and Mumbai managed the technical and financial logistics, including the quick laundering of the illicit proceeds."This operation sends a clear message: regardless of how wide your network or how sophisticated your digital mask, law enforcement will track you down," stated the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast District, Hemant Tiwari in his address. "We are working to secure the evidence and ensure that every victim of the 61 NCRP complaints involved receives justice."The seized digital evidence, including mobile devices, computers, and documentation related to mule bank accounts, is expected to reveal further links and the complete organisational structure of the international syndicate.