NCCIA arrests 10 suspects in four operations against cybercrime, fraud

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Lahore Zone, has arrested 10 suspects during four separate operations targeting online

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Lahore Zone, has arrested 10 suspects during four separate operations targeting online child sexual exploitation, blackmail, fraudulent identity documents, payment card fraud and illegal online betting.

NCCIA Lahore Zone Additional Director Atif Ameer disclosed the arrests during a press conference on Monday, providing details of the agency’s recent actions against individuals allegedly involved in various cybercrime activities.

According to Atif Ameer, the agency arrested a suspect accused of sexually exploiting and blackmailing underage children living abroad through social media platforms. The suspect allegedly operated under a fake identity to establish contact with minors, gain their confidence and pressure them into producing objectionable material. He subsequently threatened to circulate the content online to blackmail the victims.

During the operation, officials confiscated a laptop and a mobile phone for forensic examination. The additional director said investigators had employed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based monitoring system to conduct technical analysis and obtained a search warrant from the relevant court before proceeding with the operation. The examination of the recovered devices was ongoing to gather further evidence.

In another operation, the NCCIA arrested three law students suspected of using AI technology to manufacture counterfeit Canadian identity documents and passport photographs. Investigators recovered four mobile phones, four laptops and printed copies of allegedly fake Canadian passports.

Initial investigations indicated that the fabricated documents were allegedly being used to facilitate the opening of bank accounts in Canada and carry out online financial fraud. Authorities are examining the recovered material to establish the extent of the alleged activities and identify any additional individuals who may have been involved.

The agency also conducted an operation in LDA City, Lahore, where two suspects, identified as Wajid Ali Jafri and Aman Ali, were arrested in connection with a payment card fraud case. Officials seized five point-of-sale (POS) machines and four mobile phones during the action.

An FIR, numbered 243/2026, has been registered in connection with the case. Meanwhile, efforts are continuing to apprehend another suspect, identified as Najaf, who is allegedly involved in supplying the POS machines used in the operation.

In the fourth operation, NCCIA officials raided a location in Bahria Town, Lahore, and arrested four suspects over their alleged links to an illegal online betting network. The agency seized one computer, one laptop and six mobile phones for forensic analysis and further investigation.

According to preliminary findings, the suspects allegedly operated online betting games and promotional offers to inflict financial losses on US citizens. The alleged owner of the network, identified as Zaeem, remains at large, and investigators are analysing the digital data recovered during the raid.

An FIR, numbered 250/2026, has been registered under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, and the Pakistan Penal Code.

Atif Ameer said safeguarding children against online exploitation and blackmail, combating cybercrime and preventing financial fraud remained key priorities for the agency. He added that the NCCIA would continue taking legal action against individuals suspected of involvement in cyber-related offences.

The agency is continuing its investigations into all four cases, while forensic examinations and efforts to trace the remaining suspects remain underway.