Chennai: In a major crackdown on a cybercrime network targeting ‘mule’ bank account holders, Tamil Nadu police arrested 837 people during a 48-hour statewide operation, officials said on Sunday.
Police said that during the special operation conducted on August 6 and 7, action was taken against individuals related to 9,804 complaints filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. According to police, these complaints involved fraudulent transactions totaling ₹545.27 crore.
According to a police statement, the arrests were linked to 601 existing FIRs registered in cybercrime cases. Police also registered 157 new FIRs across the state to curb the misuse and operation of “mule” bank accounts.
Police said “mule” bank accounts are used by cybercriminals to receive illicit funds, transfer them to other accounts, launder them, or withdraw them. According to police, people who share their bank account details in exchange for a commission help cybercriminals carry out such fraudulent transactions.
Police seized 204 mobile phones, 185 SIM cards, four laptops/desktops, one storage device, 114 bank passbooks, 29 checkbooks, 73 ATM/debit cards, one credit card, two other electronic devices and Rs 1.02 lakh in cash during the operation. Investigators have also identified 155 mobile numbers and details of 58 bank accounts for further investigation.