Summary of this article
Keralam police uncover mule brokers hiring cash withdrawers.
Police suspect that syndicates link cyber-fraud networks with drug peddlers.
The recent arrests expose scale of financial crime expanded into multi-states.
Mule account brokers in Keralam are expanding their network by not just procuring more bank accounts and SIM cards, but also recruiting people to physically withdraw stolen cash. These recruited people are also tasked with routing the withdrawn cash through multiple handlers before the proceeds reach operators across India.
Police suspect this expanding network of people has also engaged local drug peddlers, and the account brokerage is turning into a criminal enterprise due to this. This indicates not just increasing cyber fraud incidents but also criminal activities.
The growing network of cybercrime operations came to light after the recent arrest of three individuals in Kochi, allegedly the brokers, reported The New Indian Express. Their arrest exposed the direct links between Keralam-based intermediaries and cyber-fraud syndicates that are suspected to operate in Rajasthan and Haryana. Reportedly, these alleged brokers were caught on November 7 near the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), where they were collecting bank details of victims by luring them with offers of money.
Usually, mule account brokers can be identified only when some stolen money is credited to their account, but in this case, the alleged brokers were found collecting bank details of victims, such as bank passbooks, ATM cards, cheque books, and SIM cards, for supplying these details to cyber-fraud operators.
As per the report, a senior police officer investigating the multi-layered cybercrime network informed that the brokers recruit withdrawal agents to avoid coordinators from appearing on bank or ATM surveillance cameras. The cash withdrawn by these agents is eventually sent to the main operators through hawala channels. The law enforcement officials noted that recruiting withdrawal agents serves as a layer between mule account brokers and cyber-fraud operators.
Police emphasised that identifying these intermediaries is crucial to break the criminal chain and expect further arrests as the investigation continues across states.
Investigation teams are also concerned by the overlap between cyber-fraud networks and the local narcotics trade. Police have started scrutinising the bank accounts of several drug peddlers only to find that many mule accounts were used actively for drug-related transactions. During an investigation in Ernakulam, a man from Assam alleged that drug dealers use mule accounts for transactions and maintain contacts with cyber gangs through prison networks. This nexus shows how these syndicates operate to hide their financial operations.
As per the report, on November 11, six people were arrested in Vadakara for allowing cyber-fraud operators to access their bank accounts for commissions. A total of Rs 38.65 lakh worth of transactions were traced through six accounts, and cases were registered against 21 people for their involvement in withdrawing money via ATMs and cheques and further transferring it to operators. The police are taking action across the state, which shows the scale of these cybercrime networks and the necessity to trace the full chain to identify the operators.
