By our correspondent
MULTAN: In a major breakthrough against transnational cybercrime, Pakistani intelligence agencies, in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, have dismantled a global cybercrime network operating out of Multan. The operation led to the arrest of 21 suspects, including the alleged ringleader, Rameez Shehzad, who is reportedly involved in multimillion-dollar online fraud schemes targeting American and other foreign nationals.
According to officials, the raid was the result of joint intelligence sharing between Pakistan, the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Dutch law enforcement authorities. The arrested individuals are accused of orchestrating sophisticated scams using digital platforms, including identity theft, phishing, and financial fraud.
During the crackdown, officials recovered substantial digital evidence, including laptops, smartphones, and various data storage devices. Investigators believe the network exploited loopholes in global communication platforms to siphon off funds from unsuspecting victims across multiple countries. The spokesperson for the cybercrime agency stated that all suspects have been booked under strict legal provisions.
Their names have been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), and travel bans have been imposed to prevent any attempt to flee the country. Authorities have hailed the success as a significant step toward dismantling international cybercrime syndicates and reinforcing global cooperation in digital law enforcement. The operation marks one of the largest coordinated cybercrime busts in Pakistan in recent years and is expected to lead to further arrests and prosecutions as forensic analysis of the seized equipment continues.
