POLICE ARREST 19 CYBER MISCREANTS

POLICE ARREST 19 CYBER MISCREANTS

30-NOV-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BUXAR--------------------------On Saturday, Buxar police dealt a major blow to a major cyber fraud network that had spread its roots in the city. Acting on a tip-off, the city police raided a rented house behind ICICI Bank on PP Road and arrested 19 suspected youths. Initial investigations revealed an organized, high-tech, and interstate cyber gang involved in various illegal activities, ranging from online betting to banking fraud.

A game was being run behind ICICI Bank; 64 mobile phones and 5 laptops recovered; a network spanning several states is expected to be uncovered

Buxar police dealt a major blow to a major cyber fraud network that had spread its roots in the city on Saturday. Acting on a tip-off, the city police raided a rented house behind ICICI Bank on PP Road and arrested 19 suspected youths. Initial investigations have revealed an organized, high-tech, interstate cyber gang involved in various illegal activities, ranging from online betting to banking fraud.

During the raid, police recovered 64 mobile phones and five laptops, reportedly containing dozens of digital wallets, fake social media accounts, and records of fraudulent activities spanning various states. These young men, who came from various districts of Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, operated their "cyber operations center" from a rented house in Buxar.

According to sources, the gang members called hundreds of people daily, posing as bank officials, insurance company officials, customer care, or online gaming agents, and defrauded them. They also operated numerous online betting apps and websites, where large sums of money were transacted daily. At the Nagar police station, SDPO Gaurav Pandey, the Cyber ​​DSP, and a team of technical experts are interrogating the accused.

The police have also initiated a forensic examination of the seized equipment. It is believed that many more high-profile names may emerge based on the data obtained from the devices. Police officials involved in the investigation say that this is not a case of a simple gang of fraudsters, but a robust network with connections to several states. The discovery of a "command center" for this gang operating in Buxar has surprised the police, as the city has seen a sudden increase in cybercrime cases over the past few months. The police are currently conducting this entire operation in utmost secrecy. No senior officer has yet issued an official statement. The team is first trying to determine the level at which the arrested youths were working within this network. Were they merely operators or was there a larger mastermind behind them? After the investigation is complete, the Buxar police will reveal details of the case. This massive operation has sparked widespread discussion in the city, and people are viewing it as a major crackdown on cybercrime that has been on the rise for the past several months.