KOZHIKODE: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested Mohammed Fasal K., the alleged key operative in an international cyber fraud and ATM card smuggling racket, from his residence at Thamarassery in Kerala’s Kozhikode district. The arrest follows an extensive probe into an organised cross-border network that allegedly duped a Thrissur resident of more than Rs 1.04 crore in July 2024 before siphoning the proceeds overseas through illicitly exported debit cards. The federal agency took the accused into custody on Saturday after tracking his activities following an earlier failed attempt to leave the country.
Card procurement from students and routing through Dubai
According to investigators, the syndicate systematically targeted local youths and students across Kerala, offering them cash incentives ranging between Rs 3,000 and Rs 7,000 for each active debit or ATM card. Once obtained, the cards were smuggled to Dubai through illegal channels to facilitate offshore cash withdrawals. By routing the illicit gains through foreign automated teller machines, the operators sought to erase the audit trail and prevent domestic financial regulators from tracking the stolen capital back to its source. The CBI is presently examining whether the youth who parted with their banking credentials were aware of the underlying criminal activity or acted solely out of inducements of easy money.
Impersonation scam and transfer of Rs 1.04 crore
The case originated from a cyber fraud operation executed in July 2024, wherein fraudsters impersonating FedEx representatives and cybercrime police officers contacted a resident of Thrissur. The fraudsters claimed that the victim’s bank account was compromised and subject to an urgent formal investigation, intimidating him into transferring a cumulative sum of Rs 1,04,40,111 across multiple specified bank accounts under the pretext of verification. Following a formal complaint, the CBI took over the investigation and uncovered an elaborate framework connecting domestic mule accounts to offshore cash points. Investigators are now scrutinising every intermediate link, from the local card suppliers and couriers to the operatives who executed the cash withdrawals in the United Arab Emirates.
Diversion into real estate and airport interception
Agency officials suspect that the money withdrawn overseas was subsequently redirected into India and channelled into real estate ventures as well as operations linked to gold smuggling across Kerala. The CBI is analysing transaction sheets, banking trails, and asset documents to identify potential accomplices and corporate entities that helped conceal the illicit wealth. The suspect was previously the subject of a lookout circular issued by central authorities, which led to his interception at Bengaluru airport on May 13, 2026, during a bid to board a flight to Sharjah. Following continued surveillance, investigators moved in to secure his arrest at his Thamarassery home, with custodial interrogation expected to focus on unraveling the remaining members of the transnational syndicate.
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