Cloud-linked CCTV cameras helped Chinese masterminds monitor cyber mules confined in Pune hotels: Probe

In a probe that was closely monitored by Police Commissioner Vinaykumar Choubey, the team from the Cyber crime police station got the first lead when it came to light one of the mule accounts was registered in the name of a firm, suspected to be a shell company. The account was opened by a man who hails from Kolhapur. Technical leads traced his location to a hotel in the Kondhwa in Pune. Based on the leads obtained from this mule account holder, the investigation team zeroed in on a total of five members of a Cyber crime gang with direct links to Chinese operatives.

The police team raided another hotel in Kondhwa area and arrested Yasir Abdul Majid Shaikh (34), a resident of Undri, Mohammed Sultan Zeheruddin (30), a native of Patna, Maz Afsar Mirza (24), a resident of Swargate, Hussain Tahir Sohail Shaikh (23), a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Baburao Shivakiran Meru (41), a resident of Hadapsar.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Dr Shivaji Pawar said, “Our investigation revealed that these suspects were in direct contact with Chinese operatives. These suspects took access to the accounts from the mule account holders. They further siphoned funds to Chinese masterminds through the cryptocurrency route. This module which we have busted is suspected to have cheated more than 150 people for over Rs 25 crore in total.”

A police officer who is part of the probe, “Along with nine cell phones, 15 SIM cards, 20 debit cards we recovered from the arrested suspects, we have recovered four portable CCTV cameras with cloud data link. Our investigation has revealed that this syndicate has been confining their mule account holder to hotel rooms to ensure that they do not flee when siphoned funds land in their accounts. These cameras with cloud data links were installed in the hotel rooms. These rooms had lookouts posted outside while their handlers and their Chinese counterparts kept a watch on the movements through the CCTV cameras.

Earlier this year, while investigating the online activity of a mule account handler linked to a Cambodia-based cyber syndicate, Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber investigators stumbled upon half a dozen hotel bookings across Pune — some premium and some economy. The probe revealed these weren’t random transactions, but integral parts of a sophisticated shadow network in Pune, operating for the international cyber syndicate. It had come to light that mule handlers were booking these rooms for mule account holders.

These mules are asked to hand over the entire kit including bank account — linked SIM card, debit card and cheque book. Once a mule account is used in a Cyber crime to receive money, it is flagged, with investigation agencies and banks. Then the process begins to freeze it. In the meantime, a mule is kept in these hotel rooms till the time the account is frozen. After that the mule is given their cut and released. Officials said that same modus operandi was used by the racket busted in the latest probe.