Gujarat Police to launch statewide 'Operation Mule Hunt 2.0' against cyber fraud networks
Gandhinagar, June 2
Gujarat Police will launch "Operation Mule Hunt 2.0" across all districts from Tuesday, intensifying its crackdown on mule bank accounts used by cybercriminals to receive, transfer, and launder money obtained through online frauds.
The decision was taken at a statewide review meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, via video conference on Monday night.
Senior police officers, including Director General of Police K.L.N. Rao, attended the meeting, while all city police commissioners and district police chiefs joined virtually.
According to an official, strict instructions were issued to carry out a "surgical strike" on mule accounts across the state to protect citizens from cyber fraud and disrupt the financial networks that support organised cybercrime.
A source told IANS that the meeting was a periodic review exercise involving all senior officials to assess ongoing action and strengthen enforcement measures against cybercrime networks.
The renewed drive follows the results of Operation Mule Hunt 1.0, a month-long statewide campaign conducted by the Gujarat Police's Cyber Centre of Excellence between December 1 and December 31, 2025.
During the operation, police unearthed cyber fraud transactions worth Rs 2,289 crore, registered 565 FIRs, and arrested 638 accused.
Action was taken against 913 mule accounts, and investigators linked them to more than 4,000 cybercrime cases across the country.
Police officials said mule accounts form the financial backbone of cyber fraud operations, allowing criminals to move stolen funds through multiple layers and making transactions difficult to trace.
Investigators relied on data from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, and the cybercrime helpline 1930 to identify suspicious transactions and track fraud networks.
Operation Mule Hunt 2.0 has already led to several major breakthroughs this year. In separate crackdowns, Gujarat Police uncovered cyber fraud networks involving transactions worth Rs 53.55 crore and more than Rs 288 crore, resulting in multiple arrests across cities, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Anand.
Investigators found that organised groups were using extensive mule account networks to route illicit funds generated through online scams.
Officials said the latest phase of the operation will focus on identifying, freezing, and dismantling mule account networks operating across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I'm a bit skeptical. We hear about these operations every few months but the scams keep happening. The real issue is the lack of awareness among common people, especially in rural areas. Police should also focus on cyber literacy campaigns alongside these crackdowns.
I read about Operation Mule Hunt 1.0 - 565 FIRs and 638 arrests is impressive! But what happens after arrest? These cyber criminals often get bail quickly. Need stricter laws and faster courts to really deter them. Otherwise it's just a cat and mouse game. 🤔
As someone who works in fintech, I can tell you mule accounts are a huge problem. They use small rural bank accounts where people don't know their account is being misused - often they're just poor folks lured by "easy money" promises. The real kingpins never use their own accounts. Good to see coordinated action by Gujarat Police.
Finally some good news! Cyber fraud is becoming a menace - my retired father got a call pretending to be from his bank and almost lost ₹50,000. These scammers target the elderly most. I hope Ahmedabad and Surat see major action. Surgical strikes on these networks is the only language they understand. ❤️
I appreciate the effort but where is the accountability for banks? Mule accounts don't exist in a vacuum - banks open thousands of accounts with minimal KYC verification. If RBI and banks did their job properly, these mule accounts wouldn't multiply. Police alone cannot solve this. 🤷
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