A day after stumbling upon a sophisticated international loan app racket that operated from a makeshift call centre in Sreekaryam, the Thiruvananthapuram City police have gathered further information regarding the syndicate that primarily targeted foreign nationals. 

The operation, which functioned under the guise of an IT company at a rented office at Chenthi, was unearthed during a raid conducted as part of the anti-drug enforcement drive Operation Toofan on Monday.  

While nearly 20 people were apprehended during the operation, 13 employees, all natives of northern India, have been arrested. The seized items include 41 computers along with several digital storage devices and other electronic equipment.

According to official sources, the gang focused on foreign victims, particularly American citizens, and there is no evidence thus far that Indians were targeted through the operation. The investigators are examining the digital evidence to determine the scale of the fraud. The group’s bank accounts are also being scrutinised to assess the total value of financial transactions.

Investigators point out that the call centre is found to have operated through the night until the early hours of the morning in order to match the working hours in the United States and other foreign countries. The fraud began with victims receiving messages falsely claiming that their loan applications had already been approved. Those who responded were asked to provide personal and financial details, which were then forwarded to the alleged mastermind, who has been identified as Akashdeep Choudary, a Gujarat native.

According to preliminary investigation, the suspect previously operated from a different base in Ulloor before relocating to Sreekaryam. With the accused escaping prior to the raid, the police have issued a lookout notice to bring him to book. Another suspect has been apprehended from the Ahmedabad airport.

The racket offered its employees monthly salaries ranging ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. The staff members were also paid ₹1000 as commission for every victim who is successfully persuaded to enter the fraudulent loan process, sources said.