The Cyber Police Station of New Delhi District has dismantled a fraudulent export consultancy operation operating under the name India2Exports.com, arresting 18 individuals accused of cheating exporters across the country, officials announced on Thursday.
How the Racket Operated
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma, the syndicate targeted aspiring exporters by offering assistance in securing overseas buyers and facilitating export-related certifications. Victims were initially required to pay a registration or token fee of Rs 5,000. Subsequently, they were coerced into making additional payments of Rs 19,780 for export service packages and Rs 41,300 for purported Global GAP/Trust Certification and other export formalities.
To build trust, the accused used international WhatsApp numbers and impersonated foreign buyers from various countries. Exporters were shown fabricated communications and assured that export orders were being processed. However, after receiving payments, the accused either stopped responding or avoided further communication, causing financial losses to the complainants, DCP Sharma stated.
Investigation and Raid
The operation was uncovered during an analysis of cyber fraud complaints received through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). Based on technical analysis, digital evidence, and sustained investigation, a police team conducted a raid at the premises where a fake call centre was found operating. During the raid, officers apprehended the alleged mastermind and several telecallers involved in the fraud.
Police identified the mastermind as Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Uttam Nagar. Another accused, Sammi Kumar Giri, was bound down under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Sixteen telecallers, including 14 women and two men, were also bound down under the same provision.
Recoveries and Financial Impact
During the raid, police recovered 20 mobile phones, 35 SIM cards, six laptops, nine CPUs, and one debit card. The seized electronic devices and digital evidence are being examined to identify additional victims, associates, and linked cyber fraud cases.
So far, investigators have linked 19 cyber fraud complaints involving a total cheated amount of Rs 10.57 lakh to the activities of the syndicate. Efforts are underway to trace the proceeds of crime, identify other members of the network, and ascertain the full extent of the fraud, the DCP added.
