Bengaluru police crackdown on stock scams, drug operations

Bengaluru: In a decisive sweep against crime in Bengaluru, Police Commissioner B Dayananda briefed the media on a series of high-profile arrests and recoveries across the city. In operations ranging from house-breaking thefts to a complex financial fraud, the Bengaluru City Police have successfully apprehended several criminals involved in various illicit activities.

One of the major breakthroughs occurred with Kodigehalli Police Station’s arrest of two individuals involved in a series of house thefts. The operation resulted in the recovery of 1 kg of gold ornaments valued at Rs. 70 lakh, linked to five cases across multiple police stations. While three accomplices remain at large, efforts are underway to bring them into custody.

In a parallel operation, police across different parts of the city solved further house burglary cases. V V Puram Police Station arrested two individuals, recovering 1 kg 570 gm of gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs. 1.22 crore. In the other operation, Bellandur Police Station apprehended a suspect, leading to the recovery of 322 gm of gold ornaments and artificial jewellery valued at Rs. 22.5 lakh. Sampangiramanagar Police also cracked a jewellery shop theft involving a former employee and two accomplices. The operation led to the recovery of 740 gm of gold ornaments worth Rs. 51.8 lakh, with police continuing their hunt for two absconding suspects.

In a significant breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Police Station unearthed a national stock trading scam involving Axis Bank employees. A manager and three sales executives were among eight individuals arrested for their role in the scam, which involved the fraudulent transfer of Rs. 97 crore through six bank accounts. Investigators have linked 254 cases across the country to the accused, and efforts to arrest nine more individuals are ongoing.

The Anti-Narcotics Wing of the CCB, in collaboration with Customs officials and India Post, launched a joint operation to curb the trafficking of narcotics via postal services. Aided by Bengaluru City Police’s sniffer dogs, officers verified 3,500 undelivered parcels, ultimately seizing 606 packages containing drugs valued at Rs. 21.17 crore. The operation underscores the increasing use of postal services for narcotics smuggling and the authorities’ determination to combat this trend.

CEN Police Station, South Division, dismantled a sophisticated scam involving the Porter app, a logistics platform. Four individuals were arrested for creating fake customer and driver IDs to manipulate the system. By placing and cancelling fake orders, the suspects fraudulently claimed payments from the company, defrauding them of Rs. 90 lakh over eight months. The investigation is still ongoing as authorities work to uncover further layers of the scam.

The city police also arrested an interstate suspect responsible for sending hoax bomb threat emails to schools and colleges. V V Puram Police recovered a laptop and mobile phone used in the crime, which pertained to 10 similar cases. The investigation into these threats is expected to extend to other states, indicating a broader network.