New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday said that it actively participated in Operation HAECHI-VI launched by Interpol targeting seven specific types of crimes, namely, cyber-enabled financial crime, voice phishing, love/romance scam, online sextortion, investment fraud, money laundering associated with illegal online gambling, business email compromise and e-commerce fraud.   

During Operation HAECHI-VI, the International Operations Division of CBI closely coordinated with the FBI US Department of Justice and the German authorities and arrested eight offenders and identified 45 suspects who were indulging in the transnational cyber-enabled financial crimes and subjecting the minor girls to sexual offences online.

“Cash amount of USD 66,340 was recovered from the offenders and 30 bank accounts involved in the crime were blocked,” the agency said in its press note.

“CBI, acting upon operational inputs received from the FBI, US Department of Justice, apprehended two offenders who were targeting minor US girls online through social media platforms, inducing and intimidating those minor girls to share their obscene images/videos,” the agency further said.

On operational inputs received from the FBI, the US Department of Justice, CBI also busted and dismantled a network of cyber-enabled transnational financial crime being operated through illegal call centres in New Delhi and Amritsar, targeting US nationals online under pseudonymous identities and defrauding them under the guise of providing tech support services.

Similarly, on inputs received from the German Authorities, the central agency busted and dismantled another network of cyber-enabled transnational financial crime being operated through an illegal call centre at Siliguri, Darjeeling, targeting German nationals online under pseudonymous identities and defrauding them under the guise of providing tech support services.

The agency, in its press note, highlighted that “Cyber-enabled crime networks pose a significant threat to the safety of citizens.”

As part of Operation HAECHI-VI, CBI rapidly identified and took 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 crime networks, it added.

–IANS

sas/dan