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Panaji: Goa Police have arrested 24 individuals across 16 states in a coordinated crackdown on cybercrime under an interstate operation titled Cyber Vigil 2.0. The large-scale action involved 43 police teams investigating 37 cases of online fraud and related offences involving more than Rs 8.21 crore, while also issuing notices to 20 other suspects. Conducted on November 13, the operation aimed to track down suspects operating fraud networks from outside Goa to target victims within the state.
Joint teams from the North District Police, South District Police, and the Cyber Crime Police Station carried out the simultaneous raids. By deploying personnel across state lines to identify, question, and apprehend suspects, the force sought to establish that cybercriminals cannot evade legal action by operating beyond Goa’s borders.
Coordinated Raids Across 16 States
The operation was led by the Superintendents of Police for North and South Districts alongside the Cyber Crime Police Station, under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Crime Branch and Range, and guided by the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of Police. According to official figures, the 37 investigated cases involved total fraud amounting to Rs 8,21,67,999.73.
Investigations into the 24 arrested individuals are underway, while the 20 notices issued will facilitate further questioning and verification of facts. Police have not yet publicly disclosed the identities of the accused, the specific states where individual arrests occurred, or their exact roles in each case.
Rs 15.94 Crore Secured and Digital Networks Disrupted
Beyond arrests, Goa Police’s cybercrime unit has secured Rs 15.94 crore in 2026 through lien marking on suspicious bank accounts, freezing disputed funds during ongoing probes to prevent transfers to secondary accounts. Authorities have also disrupted digital infrastructure used in fraud by blocking 1,717 SIM cards, suspending 722 social media handles, and shutting down 814 fake websites.
Additionally, police converted 306 zero e-FIRs into regular FIRs and resolved 644 complaints through the grievance redressal mechanism. Efforts to restore money to victims resulted in approximately Rs 1.94 crore being refunded via the MRM portal, reflecting a focus on financial recovery alongside enforcement.
Awareness Drive Reaches Schools and Naval Personnel
Alongside enforcement, Goa Police conducted 80 cyber awareness programmes between August and November 2026, reaching around 8,100 participants including students, teachers, government staff, bank employees, senior citizens, and armed forces personnel. Sessions covered threats such as phishing, smishing, OTP and UPI scams, fake investment and job offers, digital arrest frauds, identity theft, cyberstalking, and sextortion, while urging citizens to avoid suspicious links and report financial fraud immediately via helpline 1930 or the national reporting portal.
A major outreach event in Mapusa on October 28 drew nearly 900 students from 13 schools and higher secondary institutions, encouraging them to serve as cyber awareness ambassadors. The campaign also extended to colleges, non-governmental organizations, and two special sessions requested by the Karwar naval base in Karnataka, which were attended by nearly 800 officers and personnel, including crew from the aircraft carrier INS Vikiramaditya.
