The Gujarat Police's Cyber Centre of Excellence on Friday, 10 July arrested seven people for allegedly running an interstate online fraud and extortion racket that preyed on customers who bought sexual enhancement medicines through social media advertisements. Investigators said the group may have cheated between 4,000 and 5,000 people across India, with financial transactions exceeding ₹5 crore detected in linked bank accounts.

How the Racket Operated

According to officials, the accused placed advertisements for sexual enhancement medicines on Facebook and Instagram, drawing customers from Gujarat and other states. The medicines were dispatched via India Post and private courier services, with buyers paying cash on delivery.

Once a customer received and paid for a parcel, members of the racket allegedly called them while impersonating police officers. They claimed the medicines were prohibited drugs, told victims that criminal cases had been registered against them, and threatened imminent arrest unless they paid to 'settle' the matter.

'The callers falsely introduced themselves as officers from local police stations or district Superintendent of Police offices and extorted money through intimidation,' officials said.

Targeting Unclaimed Parcels Too

Investigators noted that the group also pursued customers who had not collected their parcels from post offices or courier companies. In those cases, callers allegedly posed as doctors and police officers to pressure recipients into accepting delivery. If parcels remained unclaimed, victims were told an FIR had been lodged against them for ordering prohibited drugs online, with demands ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹1 lakh to close the case.

Key Arrests and Call Centre Locations

The operation dismantled a 15-seat call centre in the Vastral area of Ahmedabad and prevented a second call centre from becoming operational in Bidhuna town, Uttar Pradesh. The seven accused arrested during raids at the two locations are:

Dhirendra Rajawat, 36, alleged mastermind and call centre owner; Aryan Rawal, 20; Aniruddh Bhadoria, 20; Sumit Diwakar, 20; Devpratapsinh Bhadoria, 20; Devendrasinh Rajawat, 33, from Bidhuna, Uttar Pradesh; and Priya Kurmi, originally from Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh, who police said served as manager, team leader, and closer.

Evidence Seized

During the raids, officers recovered 44 mobile phones, 23 computer CPUs, two laptops, a monitor, three caller ID telephones, three pen drives, five bank passbooks, one cheque book, seven QR codes, a caller transcript, two boxes of sexual enhancement medicines, and rubber stamps bearing the names Tanvi Enterprises, Asawani Ayurveda, DR Ayurveda, and Ayur Shakti Ayurveda.

Analysis of seized digital evidence pointed to 14 bank accounts used by the accused. Six complaints linked to these accounts had already been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP) — one from Delhi, two from Rajasthan, and three from Uttar Pradesh.

Advisory to the Public

The Cyber Centre of Excellence urged consumers to verify the authenticity of healthcare, Ayurvedic, cosmetic, and beauty products advertised online before purchasing, and to avoid buying medicines without a doctor's consultation. It also cautioned the public against claims such as '100% guarantee' or 'miraculous results', and advised people never to share banking credentials, OTPs, CVV numbers, or UPI PINs with unknown websites or individuals.

With multiple states implicated and thousands of potential victims, authorities are expected to widen the probe as digital evidence from the seized devices is analysed further.