The Enforcement Directorate's Hyderabad Zonal Office carried out extensive search operations against a syndicated network operating fraudulent call centers aimed at cheating overseas individuals, particularly United States citizens. Undertaken under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the search targeted 4 locations across Patiala, Pune, and Chandigarh. Investigators discovered 3 fully functional call centers actively running at the time of the surprise inspections across Patiala and Pune. Around 220 individuals were actively operating inside these setups, prompting officials to expand their inquiry into the underlying financial channels and chain of command.
Active Workstations Uncovered in Patiala and Pune
The enforcement agency initiated this coordinated action following targeted ground verifications and intelligence reports revealing an organized syndicate running deceptive operations in tandem across multiple cities. Upon entering the facilities, search teams identified 2 fully active centers in Patiala and 1 in Pune. The premises had been structured like corporate office floors, complete with dedicated cubicles, networked computer stations, advanced headsets, mobile devices, and routing equipment. Approximately 220 employees working across these locations were caught during operational shifts. Officials are currently verifying the formal identities, operational duties, and reporting lines of each person deployed within these facilities.
Modus Operandi Aimed at Extorting American Citizens
The operations were structured primarily to place international outbound calls to residents across the United States. Callers relied on structured pretexts and fraudulent narratives designed to deceive targets and coerce them into transferring funds. Evidence recovered from the 2 facilities in Patiala established direct links to extortion and systematic fraud against American victims. Digital records extracted from seized mobile phones and a key laptop detailed the operational patterns of the syndicate, including transaction logs showing amounts extracted from various victims.
Parallels and Connections Between Pune and Patiala Setups
In Pune, investigators documented an identical operational playbook targeting American individuals, reinforcing suspicions of a synchronized interstate racket. Enforcement officials are analyzing the structural ties connecting the facilities in Pune and Patiala. The investigation is examining who oversaw management across both regions, how the centralized calling framework was maintained, and which specific routes were utilized to siphon and transfer the proceeds generated through these deceptive calls.
Control Hub Uncovered at Chandigarh Residence
In an effort to dismantle the core leadership behind the network, the agency also searched a residential property in Chandigarh. Evidence indicated that key figures controlling and managing the Patiala operations utilized this residence as a command point. Multiple digital storage units and personal electronic devices holding vital administrative data were recovered from the location. Crucially, the search uncovered the identity of an individual responsible for processing and converting extortion proceeds received in US Dollars into Indian Rupees. Enforcement officials are examining this operative's banking footprints and financial dealings.
Seizure of Electronic Evidence and Money Trail Tracking
The joint searches across all 4 locations yielded a considerable volume of digital and documentary material, including 66 mobile devices, 13 laptops, external hard drives, communication gear, physical currency, and accounting logs. Technical specialists are conducting detailed forensic reviews of these seized assets to reconstruct the operational workflow. Investigators are focusing on extracting the precise call scripts used to intimidate victims, along with identifying the automated dialers and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) frameworks deployed to contact overseas numbers. The probe is tracing lead-generation channels, payment rails, and the laundering pipeline to determine how criminal proceeds flowed through the syndicate.
