New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) The CBI arrested a cyber fraudster and seized electronic devices during raids at 35 locations across Delhi and nine other states under a multinational operation, CyStrike, with agencies from the US, the UK, Kuwait, Ireland and Singapore, an official said on Monday.

The operation executed on January 30 in Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and West Bengal dismantled transnational cyber-enabled financial crime networks operated by the accused under pseudonymous identities to target victims abroad, the CBI official said in a statement.

During search operations in New Delhi, the CBI unearthed a transnational financial crime network being operated by the accused for targeting US victims online.

Key operative Pfokrehrii Peter was arrested from the spot, said the statement.

Electronic devices, including laptops/mobile phones/computer hard disks containing incriminating digital evidence relating to the crime, were recovered and seized from the accused, the CBI said.

The Indian probe agency busted another transnational cyber-enabled financial crime network being operated by the accused persons from New Delhi, Ghaziabad and Karnataka under the domain name https://eservicemoi-Kw.com under the guise of providing Kuwaiti e-Visas and offering appointments for working in leading Kuwait companies to Indian nationals for exchange of money, the CBI said.

The probe agency seized laptops, mobile phones, and computer hard disks containing fake Kuwaiti e-Visas and offers for appointments for working in leading Kuwait companies. A cash amount of Rs 60 lakh was also recovered from one of the accused during search proceedings, the CBI said.

During search operations, the CBI also dismantled the transnational cybercrime networks being operated by the accused, targeting victims from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Singapore online and defrauding them.

The mule accounts involved in channelising the proceeds of crime from victims abroad to the accused persons were identified and taken down, said the CBI.

An official said Operation CyStrike, led by the CBI, was aimed at taking action on the organised technology-enabled crime networks in close coordination with Interpol and foreign law enforcement agencies.

The operation has resulted in significant disruption and dismantling of major transnational cyber-enabled financial crime networks, he added.

–IANS

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