Police in Natore’s Lalpur upazila have dismantled a cybercrime ring following twin raids, arresting five active members accused of hacking social media accounts and defrauding victims. The targeted operations, conducted over the weekend, led to the recovery of ten mobile phones used in the fraudulent activities and 40,000 taka in cash extorted from victims.
Acting on precise intelligence, a specialized police team carried out the first raid at approximately 5:00 pm on Saturday in the Moharkaya (Bhangapara) area of Lalpur. Officers raided the residence of one Md Sujan Mondal, apprehending three key suspects on site: Md Maruf Ali, 21; Md Mehedi Hasan Sabuj, 23; and Md Atikur Rahman, 20. Officers seized five smartphones alongside 40,000 taka in illegally obtained cash during the initial swoop.
Building on leads obtained from the first operation, law enforcement personnel mounted a second raid in the early hours of Sunday at around 1:30 am in the Maharajpur Ghoshpara region. The late-night breach resulted in the detention of two additional suspects, identified as Taskin Ahmed Sweet, 18, and Md Salim, 22. Five more smartphones utilized for unauthorized digital access were recovered from their possession.
Investigators revealed that the network had been operating for an extended period, targeting accounts across popular communication platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and IMO. By breaching user accounts, the suspects impersonated legitimate account holders to solicit money under false pretences from victim contacts.
Following their arrest, formal charges were registered against all five individuals under Sections 17(2)(b), 21(2), 22(2), and 27 of the Cyber Security Act, 2026. On Sunday afternoon, 30 August, police produced the suspects before the local magistrate’s court, which remanded them directly into judicial custody pending trial.
Confirming the details of the crackdowns, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Lalpur Police Station, Shafiqul Islam, emphasized that law enforcement agencies are intensifying surveillance against digital syndicates. He affirmed that police drives against account hijacking and online extortion would remain relentless, warning that anyone involved in financial cybercrimes will face the full weight of the law.
