New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has cracked down on a sprawling international cyber-financial crime network under a coordinated crackdown titled Operation Cystrike. Conducted in collaboration with the FBI, Interpol, and law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Ireland, and Singapore, the operation involved simultaneous raids across Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and several other states.
During the searches, investigators recovered ₹60 lakh in cash along with incriminating electronic hardware. The agency also froze multiple “mule accounts” allegedly used to route illicit funds. The operation was launched on January 30 following intelligence inputs shared by foreign agencies about ongoing cross-border cyber scams.
A senior official said the syndicate was targeting both domestic and international victims through sophisticated digital fraud schemes. The CBI conducted coordinated searches at 35 locations spanning Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and West Bengal. The raids focused on groups operating under fake identities to siphon money from unsuspecting victims worldwide.
One of the key breakthroughs came in Delhi, where investigators dismantled a module accused of defrauding US citizens. Authorities seized a large cache of electronic devices, including laptops, mobile phones, and computer hard drives containing alleged digital evidence of large-scale financial theft. A key accused, identified as Fokrehri Peter, was arrested on the spot.
In a related development, the CBI exposed a fake visa and employment racket operating out of New Delhi, Ghaziabad, and parts of Karnataka. The network allegedly used counterfeit websites mimicking official Kuwaiti government portals to lure Indian citizens with promises of e-visas and high-paying jobs in reputed companies. Officials recovered forged documents and digital templates used in the scheme, along with ₹60 lakh in cash from one of the accused. Another suspect, Suraj Srivastava, was also arrested.
Investigators said the gang functioned through an advanced system combining digital deception with rapid financial layering. Members allegedly impersonated official institutions using fake domains and aliases, pressuring victims to make urgent payments for fraudulent services.
Once transferred, the money was quickly routed through a complex web of intermediary “mule accounts” designed to obscure audit trails. This decentralized structure allowed the masterminds to distance themselves from the initial crimes, while specialized cash-withdrawal teams converted digital proceeds into untraceable physical currency.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials said further arrests and seizures are likely as agencies continue to trace the financial network.
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