Dhaka: Detectives from the Cyber Crime Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested three Chinese nationals and a Bangladeshi woman for allegedly operating an organised cybercrime network involving illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, online gambling, and online fraud from a rented building in Dhaka’s Bashundhara Residential Area. Investigators believe the group used sophisticated digital infrastructure to target victims through fake job offers, promotional schemes, and fraudulent online platforms while employing technology designed to evade law enforcement detection.
The arrests were made during a late-night raid conducted on Saturday by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Speaking at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre, DB Chief Shafiqul Islam said the operation was carried out following intelligence inputs gathered by the Cyber Crime Division. The four arrested suspects were identified as Jharna Chakma Ziana, 27, Liu Hui Zhang, 46, Wei Yuji, 30, and She Yi Ran, 42.
According to investigators, the suspects had established their alleged cybercrime operation on the fourth and fifth floors of a six-storey building in Bashundhara. Police allege that the premises served as a hub for illegal VoIP services, online gambling activities, and cyber fraud operations targeting members of the public through digital communication channels.
During the raid, detectives recovered 14 laptops, 16 smartphones, more than 6,000 SIM cards belonging to different mobile network operators, 20 SIM gateway devices, Tk 209,700 in cash, and 26 bottles of foreign liquor. The seized electronic devices and communication equipment will undergo forensic examination to recover digital evidence, communication records, financial data, and information regarding the network’s operations.
Investigators said the Bangladeshi suspect had rented the entire building before subletting the fourth and fifth floors to the three Chinese nationals. Police believe the group used the premises to run a sophisticated communication network capable of supporting large-scale cyber fraud and online gambling activities.
According to the investigation, the syndicate allegedly contacted potential victims by sending SMS messages advertising fake employment opportunities, attractive promotional offers, and easy income schemes. Individuals who clicked the embedded links were reportedly redirected to fraudulent online platforms where they were persuaded to transfer money under false pretences.
Police further alleged that the network relied on advanced SIM gateway technology to conceal its activities. Investigators explained that the recovered gateway devices enabled a single mobile handset to operate up to 12 SIM cards simultaneously, making it significantly more difficult for authorities to identify the devices’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and trace communications after complaints were filed.
DB officials believe the network may have defrauded victims of millions of taka before allegedly laundering the proceeds outside Bangladesh through organised financial channels. Investigators are now conducting forensic analysis of the seized devices, SIM cards, communication records, financial transactions, and digital infrastructure to determine the full scale of the operation, identify additional suspects, and establish whether the syndicate maintained links with international cybercrime networks. Legal proceedings against the four arrested individuals are currently underway, while the investigation remains ongoing.
