The Cyber, Economic and Narcotic Crime Police Station in Mangaluru has arrested two men from Northeast India for impersonating Customs officials and cheating a local resident of ₹ 7.27 lakh. The arrests mark a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against digital financial crimes. Police found that one of the suspects operated a wide network of more than three hundred bank accounts and two hundred and fifty SIM cards to launder money and hide his identity.
The accused have been identified as twenty seven year old Demonjoy Riang from Dhali in Tripura and thirty three year old Hmangte Ryal Kom, also known as Mangte Amosh, from Kangpokpi in Manipur. The case against them was first filed in 2024, and both had been on the run since then.
Police arrested Riang on thirteen November in Bengaluru after sustained technical surveillance. Kom, who is believed to have managed hundreds of bank accounts and SIM cards, was arrested on fifteen November. Both men were produced before a local magistrate and sent to judicial custody for fourteen days. Officials suspect that they are part of a larger and well organised cyber fraud syndicate operating across several states.
During coordinated raids, officers seized a large number of documents and devices from Kom. These included eight mobile phones, twenty debit cards, eighteen bank passbooks, and seven SIM cards. Police said these items were central to the suspects’ operations. Many of the accounts served as mule accounts used to move money quickly so that the trail disappeared.
Investigations found that the fraudsters called victims while pretending to be officials from the Customs Department. They falsely claimed that a parcel linked to the victim’s name contained illegal materials or suspicious items. Victims were then pressured into paying large penalties through online transfers to avoid arrest or legal action.
Cybercrime experts say that cases of impersonation involving government agencies have increased sharply. Criminal networks use tools such as digital masking, layered bank accounts, and disposable SIM cards to avoid detection.
The Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate described the arrests as an important step in breaking a growing cybercrime network. Investigators are now examining bank records, mobile chats, call logs, communication patterns, and possible links to other fraud groups. A senior official said, “Our aim is not just to arrest the individuals but to take down the entire network operating behind them. Further arrests are highly likely.”
Authorities have asked the public to stay alert to unsolicited calls from people claiming to be from Customs, Police, or other government agencies and to report any suspicious conversations.
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