DEHRADUN: In a significant breakthrough against organised cybercrime, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has on Thursday arrested a Nigerian national in Delhi, dismantling an international syndicate involved in a multi-crore parcel fraud. The accused, Colinus Ugochukwu Nwaemuka, was apprehended following a swift operation by the STF Cyber Crime Police team.The arrest stems from a complaint by a Dehradun resident defrauded of nearly Rs 29 lakh. The accused befriended a woman on Facebook claiming to be a senior manager at an Amsterdam pharmaceutical company. Gaining trust, the fraudster orchestrated a fake parcel delivery via ‘Flota Logistics’, demanding online payments for custom scanning, gold license, currency conversion, GST, insurance, and clearance. The victim initially transferred Rs 24,88,400 in multiple instalments. Subsequently, the cyber culprits escalated deception, posing as ‘National Cyber Security’ officials and fake police. They extorted an additional Rs 4,10,250 under guise of settling a fabricated case and processing files. The syndicate used fake mobile numbers, bank accounts, and misused government designations to pressure the victim, totalling Rs 28,98,650 in fraud. Recognising the case’s gravity, Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Navneet Bhullar initiated a high-level investigation. The probe was supervised by Additional Superintendent of Police Swapn Kishore and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ankush Mishra, and led by Inspector Ashish Gusai, a Cyber Commando. The Cyber Crime Police obtained crucial data from banks, telecom providers, domain hosting companies, and Meta, analysing digital footprints including mobile numbers, bank accounts, and chats. SSP Navneet Bhullar stated, “This arrest marks a crucial step in dismantling a sophisticated international cybercrime network. Our team meticulously followed digital footprints, clearly showing how these criminals exploited social media extensively to ensnare victims. They cunningly posed as international contacts and fake government officials to extract substantial sums, demonstrating a highly organised modus operandi. We are committed to ensuring justice for victims and prosecuting these offenders fully.” According to the STF officials, this case represents the first major success by Uttarakhand’s dedicated cyber commando team. Plans are underway to provide advanced training to 70 more cyber commandos in Uttarakhand, aiming for more effective control over state cybercrimes.
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