Mumbai Crime Branch Raids Goa Villa, Unearths Rs 500-Crore Cyber Fraud Racket
The Mumbai Crime Branch’s Unit-2 has busted a major cyber fraud network operating out of a luxury villa near Calangute Beach in Goa while investigating a case registered at Pydhonie Police Station. Officers arrested 12 individuals and uncovered an operation that reportedly processed around ₹500 crore through more than 150 mule bank accounts over the past six months.
The investigation began after police received information regarding money routed through mule bank accounts located in the Pydhonie area. Tracing the money trail led officers to physical notebook records that were being transported to Goa by bus. Crime Branch detectives then tracked the operation to a rented 2,000-square-foot villa near Calangute Beach, which served as a training and operational hub for cyber scams.
According to the police, the accused executed multiple types of online fraud, including digital arrest scams, WhatsApp profile picture impersonation frauds, and malicious APK file-based scams. The proceeds were allegedly converted into USDT cryptocurrency and routed to Dubai. Investigators believe the primary handler behind the operation is based in Sri Lanka.
Among the arrested suspects is Iliyaz Memon, 38, a resident of Mumbai. The remaining 11 accused, aged between 21 and 23, hail from Ahmedabad and Rajkot in Gujarat. Investigators stated that the younger suspects were initially recruited under the guise of garment business employment before being trained by absconding members of the syndicate to carry out cyber crimes.
The network reportedly paid the operatives a monthly salary of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 alongside a 3 per cent commission on transactions. Internal communication within the syndicate was managed through a specialized application called Rudra. The villa had allegedly been rented for approximately ₹1 lakh per month for the past six to eight months.
Police suspect the syndicate is linked to at least 83 cyber fraud cases across the country. The Crime Branch has initiated action to freeze bank accounts holding between ₹50 crore and ₹100 crore in suspected fraud proceeds. The arrested accused have been remanded in police custody until August 11 as authorities continue efforts to trace the foreign handlers.
