NCCIA arrests 273 in Karachi call centre raid over alleged scam network

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) arrested 273 people in a crackdown on an alleged cyber fraud network in Karachi, Additional Director Shahzad Akbar said. The arrests included more than 100 women and 42 underage boys and girls.

The raid took place at a call centre in PECHS, alongside Shahrah-e-Faisal. Eyewitnesses told the Express Tribune the NCCIA raided the Voxtron call centre on 3 November. Akbar said the agency seized 3,390 laptops, 152 mobile phones and four CPUs. Express News reported a figure of 339 laptops from Akbar, so the exact laptop count differs between reports.

According to Akbar, forensic examination found people based abroad were involved in the company's scamming operations, and merchants were reportedly part of the network. Multiple user IDs under different names were found logged into individual laptops. He said the call centres allegedly obtained citizens' personal data and used it in fraud schemes.

Akbar said the laptops held fake online IDs and financial details of credit card holders, and that suspects allegedly obtained card details through offers and deception and withdrew money from accounts. He said evidence of money laundering, hawala and merchant networks was found, that retired people were also reportedly defrauded, and that money was transferred through JazzCash.

Akbar said about 350 call centres in Karachi are currently involved in scamming, and the targeted company was among the top three. He said this was the first time employees were nominated in a case along with the owner. Earlier, cases were registered only against owners, whose relatives then registered new companies with the same staff. He also said parents were warned they could face action under Section 109 if they did not stop their children from illegal activities.

The suspects were produced by video link before Judicial Magistrate East Gulraiz Memon. The investigating officer said the 273 were detained at the premises, which the Sindh Home Department declared a sub-jail, and were allegedly involved in defrauding foreign nationals. The court granted a two-day physical remand of nine key suspects.

Defence counsel said the detainees included more than 70 juveniles and over 80 women and argued the offences were bailable. The court ordered female suspects and those under 18 released on bail against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each, and sent the remaining suspects to jail on judicial remand.

Relatives of detainees told the Express Tribune that families were refused copies of the FIR. One relative said the company had been raided twice before without legal action against the owner, and another alleged authorities knew children as young as 12 worked there. A mother said she had had no contact with her daughter since 3 November.