The Mumbai Police Crime Branch Unit 9 has busted a fake international call centre operating in the Amboli area and arrested eight individuals who were allegedly involved in duping American citizens. The accused had been selling fake Viagra and other counterfeit medicines to US nationals, siphoning off crores of rupees through the scam. According to the police, the racket had been operating quietly for the past several months.
Those arrested have been identified as Mohammad Amir Iqbal Shaikh (40), Mahir Iqbal Patel (26), Mohammad Shabeeb Mohammad Khalil Shaikh (26), Mohammad Ayyaz Parvez Shaikh (26), Adam Ehsanullah Shaikh (32), Aryan Mushaffir Qureshi (19), Aman Aziz Ahmed Shaikh (19) and Hashmat Jameel Jariwala (29). The alleged mastermind of the racket, Muzaffar Shaikh (43), along with Amir Maniyar and a few others, is currently absconding. Police teams have launched a search to trace their whereabouts.
Sources revealed that the Crime Branch received credible information about a call centre operating under the name “Team Grand 9 Security Services LLP” at Kewanipada, SV Road, Amboli, Jogeshwari (West). Employees at the centre reportedly conversed with victims in an American accent and sold them high-priced fake medicines under the pretext of offering discounted pharmaceutical products.
During the raid, officials seized several laptops, headsets, hard drives, pen drives and other digital devices. Investigations further revealed that the call centre had been active for nearly six to seven months and targeted US nationals by illegally obtaining their personal data.
The eight arrested accused were produced before the Esplanade Court on Friday, where they were remanded to police custody till December 10.