The surge in courier fraud incidents across Mumbai and other metropolitan cities prompted the Mumbai cyber cell to join forces with Dubai authorities in apprehending the orchestrators behind these schemes. Through coordinated efforts with relevant agencies, two highly qualified Indian nationals, working as engineers, were identified as the masterminds orchestrating courier frauds from Dubai. These individuals, now deported to India, had exploited numerous citizens, converting fraudulently obtained funds into cryptocurrency. One of their accounts, linked to Nasik, displayed transactions exceeding Rs 2 crore over the past several months.
City police data reveals that between January and October, 61 cases of customs and gift fraud were reported, with 15 cases, involving amounts above Rs 10 lakh, currently under investigation by the cyber cell. 
The cyber cell initiated its investigation after a 34-year-old homemaker filed a complaint earlier this year. She received a call from an unknown number claiming a parcel in her name was destined for Taiwan. Despite asserting that she hadn’t sent any such parcel, the caller, impersonating Sub-Inspector Naresh Gupta from Andheri police station, shared a fake identity card. The caller insisted the parcel contained drugs, threatened her with investigation, and coerced her into revealing her bank account details.
The victim, fearing a CBI investigation, shared her banking details. Subsequently, she received messages related to a supposed CBI inquiry on her WhatsApp. Another call from the impersonator instructed her to transfer money, assuring reimbursement after her account verification. After transferring Rs 15 lakh in two transactions, the fraudster vanished. The victim lodged a complaint with the cyber cell.
After months of investigation, the cyber cell arrested the first accused in Nashik, discovering multiple accounts with transactions totaling Rs 2-3 crore. Further probes revealed two suspects in Dubai were orchestrating the scam, instructing the arrested individual to open the accounts. Authorities issued a lookout circular against the suspects, leading to their deportation last month. The Mumbai cyber cell, in collaboration with the crime branch, apprehended both individuals at Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports. An officer from the cyber cell suspects additional accomplices residing in Dubai and believes the same individuals may be involved in multiple courier fraud cases.