Madhubani Police Cracks Down on International Cyber Fraud Syndicate
In a significant operation targeting global cybercrime, authorities in Madhubani have successfully dismantled a sophisticated illegal call centre operating from a residential property in Tirhut Colony. The crackdown, which occurred on Wednesday evening, led to the arrest of four individuals allegedly connected to extensive overseas scam networks.
Coordinated Raid Uncovers High-Tech Operation
The operation was spearheaded by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) in close collaboration with Madhubani police and central intelligence agencies. During the raid, law enforcement officials seized a substantial cache of equipment used to facilitate fraudulent communications across India. Key recoveries included seven SIM boxes, which are devices designed to route scam calls while bypassing standard telecom regulations, along with 136 counterfeit SIM cards and Rs 1,38,000 in cash.
Arrests and International Connections
Addressing the media on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Yogendra Kumar identified the primary suspects as Mandeep Kumar, son of house owner Suraj Singh, and Raushan Kamat from Rajnagar, who are believed to be the masterminds behind the operation. Their accomplices, Vikas Kumar and Mohd Ahshan, both residents under the Town police station jurisdiction, were also apprehended. All four individuals have been remanded to judicial custody.
Investigators are actively probing suspected links to cybercrime networks based in China, Cambodia, Thailand, and other countries. The interrogation of the arrested individuals revealed that local operators were compensated using cryptocurrency, highlighting the modern methods employed by these syndicates to obscure financial trails.
Growing Trend of Local Modules for Global Scams
This bust underscores an alarming trend where international cyber fraud syndicates establish local modules equipped with illegal technology to execute scams originating from abroad. In addition to the SIM boxes and fake SIMs, police confiscated several cellphones and other equipment utilized for bulk fraudulent communication. Superintendent Kumar emphasized that further investigations are ongoing to uncover cross-border connections and potential money-laundering channels associated with this operation.
The successful raid not only disrupts a key node in a global scam network but also serves as a stark reminder of the evolving tactics used by cybercriminals to exploit telecommunications infrastructure for illicit gains.
