Crime
Mumbai Crime Branch Busts Fake Call Centre Selling ‘Viagra’ To US Citizens; 8 Arrested, Key Accused Absconding
Mumbai: In a major crackdown on an international online fraud network, the Mumbai Crime Branch (Unit 9) has arrested eight individuals for allegedly running an illegal call centre that impersonated pharmaceutical companies and duped foreign nationals — particularly US citizens — by selling fake Viagra and other controlled medicines.
The Crime Branch Unit 9 has busted a fake call centre operating in the Amboli area, allegedly involved in illegally selling sex-enhancement drugs to US citizens. Eight accused have been arrested, while two more suspects are currently absconding.
Police received a tip-off that a call centre named “Team Grand 9 Security Services LLP” was being run from Kevnipada, S.V. Road, Amboli, Jogeshwari (West), where employees were posing as Americans and targeting foreign citizens through telemarketing.
Acting on the information, a raid was conducted around 2:00 am on 4 December 2025, during which police detained Maher Iqbal Patel (26) and Mohammad Amir Iqbal Shaikh (40), the alleged partners of the call centre.
According to police, callers used fake names such as Mike, Alex, James, Shawn and Steven while convincing US citizens to buy medicines such as Viagra, Cialis and Tramadol, and collected payments in US dollars.
Police seized multiple laptops, headsets, pen drives and hard drives during the raid. Two more suspects, including alleged partners Muzaffar Shaikh and Amir Shaikh, are currently on the run.
Police said the call centre had been operating for around six to seven months and used illegally obtained private data of American citizens. The seized digital equipment will be analysed to determine the extent of financial fraud and data theft.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Aamir Iqbal Shaikh (40), Mahir Iqbal Patel (26), Mohammad Shabib Mohammad Khalil Shaikh (26), Mohammad Ayaz Parvez Shaikh (26), Adam Ehsanullah Shaikh (32), Aryan Mushaffir Qureshi (19), Amaan Aziz Ahmed Shaikh (19) and Hashmat Jamil Jariwala (29), while the main accused Muzaffar Shaikh (43), along with Aamir Maniyar and others, are currently absconding.
Police said that the accused conspired together to falsely represent themselves as authorised sellers of Viagra and other regulated medicines without any licence or agreement from pharmaceutical companies; created a specialised computer system to reach foreign victims; used VOIP and other online calling platforms to contact citizens in the United States and other countries, offering controlled medicines for sale; collected payments from victims through illegal channels; and did not disclose the earnings nor pay the required taxes, thereby causing financial loss to the Government of India.
All eight arrested accused were produced before the Esplanade Court today. The court has sent the accused to police custody till December 10 for further investigation. Police said the search is ongoing to trace the absconding suspects and investigate the financial trail of the fraud.
Officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain of the medicines and the international payments involved. The Crime Branch has also warned that more arrests are likely.
Crime
Delhi Police arrest two in Rs 2.10 crore cyber fraud case

The Cyber Police Station of Delhi North-East District has arrested two men for their alleged involvement in a mule bank account that received Rs 98,592 linked to a Rs 2.10 crore digital-arrest cyber fraud case.
The police recovered four mobile phones, six debit cards and 10 chequebooks from the accused.
The arrested men have been identified as Sonu Khan (36), a resident of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Arjun Chaudhary (38), a resident of Ram Nagar in Shahdara, Delhi. According to police records, neither accused has any previous criminal involvement.
According to the police, the case came to light during the scrutiny of complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP). One complaint was shortlisted for verification, during which investigators discovered that a suspected mule bank account operating in Yamuna Vihar, Delhi, had received Rs 98,592 on October 12.
Examination of the bank transactions revealed that Rs 49,000 had been withdrawn from the account on October 12, while the remaining amount had been withdrawn through a cheque.
Further investigation established that the transaction was linked to E-FIR No. 0170/2026, dated October 15, registered at the Special Cell’s IFSO unit in Delhi under Sections 318(4), 319 and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The case was registered following a complaint by Pratibha Jain, a resident of Janakpuri, Delhi, who reported being cheated of approximately Rs 2.10 crore by cyber fraudsters in a so-called “digital arrest” scam.
During the investigation, the bank account that had received a portion of the alleged fraud proceeds was suspected to have been used as a mule account to route money obtained through cybercrime.
Through technical surveillance and sustained investigation, the police traced the account holder, Sonu Khan, in Ashok Nagar, North-East Delhi. He was allegedly operating a shop dealing in disposable items.
During the proceedings, the police recovered three mobile phones, 10 chequebooks and six debit cards belonging to different banks from Khan’s possession.
Khan allegedly disclosed during interrogation that he was working for Arjun Chaudhary, who had facilitated the establishment of the shop.
Acting on information gathered during the investigation, the police apprehended Chaudhary, 38, a resident of Gali No. 3, Ram Nagar, Shahdara, Delhi. One mobile phone was recovered from his possession.
Further investigation is in progress.
Crime
HM Shah announces Op Trident success: Rs 100 crore hawala transactions exposed; 1,424 bank accounts frozen

Anti-narcotics operations across Assam, Mizoram and Manipur exposed Rs 100 crore worth of hawala transactions and resulted in the freezing of 1,424 bank accounts, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Sunday.
The anti-narcotics agencies conducted coordinated operations across the Northeast under Operation Trident, dismantling an international narco-cartel and arresting 18 people.
The Home Minister announced the success of the operation in a post on X, describing it as another major action against drug trafficking.
“Modi Govt deals another lethal blow against drugs with Operation Trident,” he said.
“Our agencies launched a barrage of simultaneous crackdowns across 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur on 23 October, smashing an international narco-cartel,” HM Shah said, highlighting the scale of the coordinated crackdown carried out by the agencies across the three northeastern states.
“The operation revealed Rs 100 crore worth of hawala transactions, froze 1,424 bank accounts, attached properties worth Rs 17.82 crore, seized 500 detonators and Rs 12 lakh in cash, and led to the arrest of 18 people,” he said.
HM Shah said that the network trafficked narcotics across the borders of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh through the ‘Death Triangle Corridor’.
“The offensive attests to India’s Himalayan resolve to realise the mission of eradicating every drug network by 31 December 2029. India will hammer until the last nail is driven into the coffin of drug cartels,” he said.
“Heartiest congratulations to the anti-narcotics team comprising central agencies and police forces of the three states,” the Home Minister added, congratulating the personnel involved in the coordinated operation.
Earlier on October 21, speaking at Police Commemoration Day in New Delhi, HM Shah announced that the Union Home Ministry has decided that during the remaining part of 2026, as well as in 2027, 2028 and 2029, a united fight will be waged against drugs over the next three-and-a-half years and the country will be free from the drug problem by December 31, 2029.
“This is a very important goal for us, even more important than tackling the three hotspots. The drug problem hollows out our future generations, places an undue burden on our economy and provides financial support to organisations engaged in anti-national activities,” HM Shah said.
“Today, I want to call upon police forces across the country to wholeheartedly work towards achieving the goal of a drug-free India, following the roadmap we have prepared and the target set by our respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, so that we can protect our future generations,” he added.
Crime
Delhi Aastha Kunj Park: CCTV, 105 new lights in place after last month’s gang rape

Necessary safety and security measures have been implemented at the DDA-maintained Aastha Kunj Park, Kalkaji, including deployment of the allotted security personnel, installation of 105 additional lights and CCTV surveillance, an official said on Saturday.
Further strengthening of lighting arrangements is under process, with due consideration to the ecological sensitivity of the Morphological Ridge, said the official on a day when Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the city’s security during a visit to the Delhi Police headquarters.
The new security framework for the park comes against the backdrop of the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park on September 21. Three accused were arrested for the crime.
The incident exposed that Aastha Kunj Park — a 142-acre DDA park with 29 multi-access points — continues to suffer from poor lighting, broken perimeter walls, unmanned or missing gates, and a lack of CCTV coverage inside the premises.
According to a status report on the beefed-up security at the DDA park, all security guards, as per the presently allotted strength, have been deployed in the park. Considering its extensive area of 142.41 acres and 29 gates, regular patrolling is undertaken to ensure security coverage across the park.
Two siren-equipped motorcycles, along with torches and essential safety equipment, are deployed for night patrolling. Surprise night inspections are also conducted by the site in-charge, security supervisor and departmental staff to verify security arrangements and guard deployment, said the status report.
For addressing dark spots in the green zone, all 340 existing lights in the park are presently functional. Further, 105 additional lights have been installed in accordance with the recommendations of the Safety Audit Report, it said.
A joint inspection has been conducted with officials of the electrical department, and the proposal for installation of high-mast lights at suitable identified locations is under process, said the status report.
The official pointed out that augmentation of security facilities is being done while bearing ecological considerations in mind.
“Approximately 99 per cent of the park area falls within the Morphological Ridge. Accordingly, additional illumination in densely vegetated areas is being planned judiciously to avoid disturbance to the natural flora and fauna while ensuring adequate lighting along pathways and visitor-use areas,” said the official.
Other steps taken by the agencies include installation of four CCTV cameras, closure of gates at 9 p.m. and biometric attendance for all security guards, said the official.
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