NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has dismantled a transnational cybercrime network in coordination with law enforcement agencies of the US, UK, Kuwait, Ireland and Singapore, the agency said on Monday.
Two persons have been arrested in this connection, CBI said.
CBI said it carried out searches at 35 locations in Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana and West Bengal on January 30 as part of a crackdown, named ‘Operation CyStrike’.
The transnational cyber-enabled financial crime networks targeted victims from the USA, the UK, Kuwait, Ireland, Singapore and India and defrauded them.
“During search operations, CBI busted and dismantled a transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network being operated by the accused persons from New Delhi, targeting US victims online. Electronic devices, viz laptops, mobile phones, computer hard disks containing incriminating digital evidence related to the crime, were recovered and seized from the accused,” the CBI spokesperson said.
A key operative, identified as Pfokrehrii Peter, was arrested.
The operation was part of a joint effort by the CBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and law enforcement agencies from the UK, Kuwait, Ireland, and Singapore.
CBI said the agency has also busted a second transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network active in New Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Karnataka that cheated people by offering appointment letters to leading Kuwaiti companies in exchange for money and Kuwaiti e-Visas.
The spokesperson said the operation resulted in the seizure of laptops, mobile phones, computer hard disks, and ₹60 lakh in cash. One Suraj Srivastava was arrested in connection with the Kuwaiti e-visa racket.
