Ahmedabad: Sleuths from the Directorate of Enforcement’s (ED) Hyderabad zonal office raided six locations in Ahmedabad on Feb 4 in connection with large-scale call centre racket that allegedly targeted foreign nationals, mainly US citizens for fraud. According to a release from ED, items seized include crypto wallets and cash, among other valuables. The raids followed FIRs registered by Cyberabad Police as well as CBI, IOD, New Delhi, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.The release said that the impersonating US govt officials or representatives of private companies, operators intimidated victims by making false allegations of default on loan repayment, tax liabilities, or legal action, thereby coercing them into purchasing gift cards or making digital payments. “ED investigation revealed illegal call centres were established and operated by several accused persons, viz Mohammed Ansari alias Mohd Irfan Ansari, Akib Gulamrasul Ghanchi, Vikas K Nimar, Divyang Raval, and Pradip V Rathod, along with their associates. Call centres operating from different locations were controlled by the same group using a common technical infrastructure, trained manpower, call scripts, and a centralized money-handling mechanism,” stated the release.“The proceeds of crime generated in this manner were primarily received through Amazon gift cards and were subsequently redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, through online platforms such as Paxful and other illegal channels, with the involvement of foreign nationals in facilitating the conversion and liquidation of the cryptocurrency,” read the release.According to investigators, cryptocurrency equivalent to $12,000 was found in the possession of one of the key accused, Akib Ghanchi, and the same was seized and transferred to ED’s crypto wallet. “Further, unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 13.5 lakh was also found and seized. Searches also led to the recovery and seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices containing crucial data. Additionally, 31 bank accounts and a bank locker belonging to the accused persons and their entities were frozen. The search operations also revealed that the accused were engaged in such criminal activities for a considerable period of time and accumulated substantial assets in their own names as well as in the names of their family members and proxies by utilizing the proceeds of crime. It was also revealed that the cartel is still actively involved in similar fraudulent activities by adopting the same modus operandi. Further investigation is under progress,” according to the release.
