In a crackdown on cybercrime network, the Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of the Tamil Nadu Police launched a 48-hour “State-wide Special Drive against Mule Account Holders” commencing on August 6, and arrested 837 cyber criminals across the State.

The operation was focused on identifying persons involved in opening, operating, and facilitating the misuse of bank accounts for receiving and withdrawing proceeds from cyber fraud.

Acting on the instructions of the Director-General of Police and Head of the Police Force Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, special teams of the CCW conducted the operation in all the districts and cities.

It was based on accused profiling through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the Pratibimb portal of the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Financial data analysis done

The profiling was further strengthened through bank fund-trail linkages established by financial data analysis of cybercrime networks.

“Mule accounts are bank accounts used by cybercriminals to receive, transfer, layer, or withdraw money obtained through fraudulent and illegal activities. Individuals who allow their bank accounts to be used for such transactions facilitate the movement of illicit funds,” Dr. Aggarwal said.

Investigators targeted individuals linked to 9,804 complaints involving fraudulent transactions amounting to more than ₹545 crore, and arrested 837 cyber criminals involved in 601 cases. Also, 157 new FIRs were registered across the State to curb the operation of mule bank accounts for facilitating cyber fraud.

The police said 204 mobile phones and other storage devices, some cash, and bank documents were seized from the premises of the accused.

Dr. Aggarwal said the arrests marked a significant achievement in disrupting and dismantling the organised cybercrime network operating in Tamil Nadu.

The operation was directly supervised from the police headquarters by the Additional Director-General of Police, CCW, Bala Naga Devi, to ensure seamless coordination and real-time monitoring throughout the drive.

The police were analysing the digital evidence seized and interrogating the arrested persons to uncover layers of the criminal network and identify their associates operating in other States. Efforts were on to trace and apprehend other members of the network, recover defrauded funds, and establish wider linkages with nationwide cybercrime operations, the police said in a statement.

Published - August 10, 2026 12:45 am IST