The Cyber Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar has dismantled a massive international cybercrime network that laundered more than Rs200 crore through mule bank accounts and cryptocurrency channels, funneling funds to a Dubai-based syndicate.
In a coordinated operation, police arrested six individuals from Morbi, Surat, and Surendranagar for their roles in operating bank accounts used to receive and route proceeds from online scams.
According to investigators, the accused opened and managed multiple mule accounts to deposit money obtained through online fraud. They withdrew large amounts in cash, converted it into cryptocurrency, and sent it to overseas handlers via crypto transfers and courier routes. Each suspect acted as a facilitator, earning commissions for laundering the proceeds of scams involving digital arrests, investment frauds, UPI scams, fake job offers, and phishing schemes.
The arrested accused have been identified as:
Mahendra Solanki and Rupen Bhatiya (Morbi)
Rakesh Laniya and Rakesh Dekawadia (Surendranagar)
Vijay Khambhaliya and Pankaj Kathiriya (Surat)
Police seized 12 mobile phones, two SIM cards, and several documents linking the suspects to at least 386 cyber frauds across India.
Officials revealed that the gang used registered business entities as a cover to justify high-value financial transactions, creating multiple layers of deception to obscure the money trail. The proceeds were then converted to cryptocurrency or sent abroad through informal channels.
Under the supervision of senior CID officers, teams combined technical analysis and human intelligence to identify the fraudulent accounts and conduct simultaneous raids across three districts.
Authorities have urged citizens to avoid sharing bank account details or SIM card access, warning that such information can be exploited for cybercrimes. They also reminded victims to report fraud within the “golden hour” — the first hour after detection — when the highest chance of fund recovery exists.
Investigations are ongoing to trace the Dubai-based handlers and uncover the full extent of the financial network.
