Uttarakhand STF arrests hawala operator from Surat, busts cybercrime network

Surat (Gujarat) [India], January 30 (ANI): In a significant breakthrough, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand Police successfully apprehended a major hawala operator involved in supplying bank accounts and SIM cards in Dubai.

The accused, with a criminal history spanning the country, was arrested from Surat in Gujarat, according to an official release of Uttarakhand STF.

According to the statement, the accused, identified as Moradiya Hardik Kumar Bhagwan Bhai, 32, a resident of Tapovan Society in Surat was actively involved in cybercrimes and hawala operations.

The Special Task Force, under the leadership of SSP Ayush Agrawal uncovered a total of 104 cases and 2,327 cybercrimes linked to the accused nationwide.

According to Agrawal, police seized crucial items, including 42debit cards, 30 chequebooks, 20 micro SIM cards, a Dubai Metro card, a Dubai SIM card, a passport, a card-swiping machine, and seals of three fake companies, among other items.

“The accused, who had planned to continue his cybercrime activities in Dubai, was taken into custody before he could execute his plans. The accused’s modus operandi involved creating fraudulent websites and posing as an employee of Flight Network. Through Telegram groups, he lured individuals into tasks, including booking flights, ultimately engaging in fraudulent activities to amass ill-gotten gains,” the senior police official said.

Further investigation revealed that the accused used fake SIM identity cards to commit crimes, exploiting various mobile handsets, SIM cards, and fake bank accounts.

The accused, who travelled to Dubai and Thailand to supply cyber fraud kits containing SIM cards and bank accounts was apprehended based on technical evidence and intelligence gathered by the Uttarakhand Police.

According to the release, the seized items, including documents and electronic devices, have provided critical evidence against the accused, exposing a national scam totalling approximately Rs 710 crore.

“The accused faces charges in multiple states, including Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Andra Pradesh. This totals 104 FIRs and 2327 criminal linkages across India. The accused had 36 criminal linkages against him in Uttarakhand alone,” the release added.

Agrawal highlighted the successful efforts of Uttarakhand Special Task Force and Cyber Police Station Dehradun in combatting cybercrime. The team, under his leadership, has made significant strides in apprehending over 100 cyber criminals last year, including major hawala operators.