In a breakthrough, Bhubaneswar’s Commissionerate Police arrested five men involved in a fake courier scam where they extorted Rs. 36 lakh from a government officer. The accused posed as Mumbai police officers, claiming they had intercepted a parcel sent in the victim’s name from Mumbai to Taiwan. The fraudsters informed the victim that the parcel contained drugs and fake passports.
The accused have been identified as Sheikh Tajuddin and Muchumari Chitti Babu from Andhra Pradesh, Denzo Laleng Zauva Kaipeng and Jiten Kaipeng from Tripura, and James Elvis Tara from Assam.
The scam began when the victim received an anonymous call from one of the accused, pretending to be a courier company executive. The caller falsely claimed that Mumbai police had found narcotics and fake passports in the parcel, heightening the victim’s fear. The caller quickly connected the victim via video call to accomplices impersonating law enforcement officers from Mumbai police.
The scammers, skilled in psychological manipulation, threatened the victim with immediate arrest and legal consequences unless he paid a large sum to settle the matter. Despite denying any involvement in the shipment, the victim was coerced into transferring Rs. 36.34 lakh to several mule bank accounts. It was only after further demands for money that the victim realized he had been defrauded.
Upon investigation, police discovered the money was transferred to mule accounts across different states, with the funds quickly moved to crypto wallets and gaming platforms. Authorities suspect that some members of the gang are operating from abroad. The investigation is ongoing as the police track the digital trail to unearth the full extent of the scam.
