Delhi Police launches ‘CyHawk 5.0’, detains over 7,000 in biggest cybercrime crackdown

Delhi Police has launched its biggest anti-cybercrime operation so far, detaining over 7,000 suspects and arresting 916 people in a massive nationwide crackdown targeting mule account handlers, malware distributors and fraudulent call centres, officials said on Friday.

The operation, codenamed CyHawk 5.0, was carried out over 48 hours between June 16 and 18 across 21 states and Union Territories, with Delhi Police calling it its most extensive and coordinated offensive against cyber fraud networks.

According to police, as many as 7,189 persons were detained or rounded up in simultaneous raids, while 691 others were bound down. Legal action was initiated against more than 4,290 individuals.

A total of 481 fresh cases were registered during the operation, while 410 older cybercrime cases were also worked on, officials said.

Police said the complaints linked to the cases involved a cumulative cheated amount of nearly Rs 700 crore, underlining the scale of cyber fraud impacting victims across the country.

The operation saw participation from all 15 district police units in Delhi, along with the Crime Branch, Railways, Metro unit and the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit. In all, 715 raiding teams comprising 2,374 personnel were deployed.

The raids focused on dismantling two critical pillars of cybercrime — mule account networks and malicious APK distributors.

Police said mule accounts continue to serve as the financial backbone of cyber fraud, with fraudsters luring vulnerable individuals through fake work-from-home offers and commission-based schemes to open bank accounts and hand over access to fraudsters.

More than 3,600 persons linked to mule account operations were rounded up, and over 2,300 cyber complaints were found connected to such accounts.

The operation also targeted distributors of malicious mobile applications, which are increasingly being used to silently intercept OTPs and facilitate financial fraud.

“These apps are often disguised as utility applications such as bill payment or vehicle registration apps and are circulated by fraudsters impersonating bank officials or service providers,” an officer said.

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Fraud call centres operating under the guise of legitimate businesses offering jobs, modelling assignments, insurance and astrology services were also busted. Separate international tech support scam centres targeting foreign nationals were also unearthed, police said.

During the operation, police seized 760 mobile phones, 820 SIM cards, 228 ATM cards, 247 bank kits and passbooks, 104 laptops and computers, 323 Aadhaar cards, and Rs 21.72 lakh in cash. A luxury SUV and 11 Point-of-Sale machines were also recovered.

Two Nigerian nationals allegedly involved in cyber fraud operations were identified and deported, officials said.