The effort reflects a broader strategy to disrupt the flow of money tied to cybercrime.
Under Operation Mule Hunt 1.0, authorities registered 565 FIRs and arrested 638 individuals. The campaign was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, with Gujarat Police and the Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCOE) leading the operation.
Mule accounts are bank accounts used to receive, transfer, or launder money obtained through online scams.
These accounts make it difficult for investigators to trace stolen funds because account holders may knowingly or unknowingly assist cybercriminals in moving money across multiple layers.
Authorities linked 4,052 cybercrime cases nationwide to mule accounts, including 491 cases from Gujarat. Investigators relied on intelligence from I4C, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), the Coordination Portal, and the 1930 cybercrime helpline to identify suspicious activity and trace financial networks.
The operation involved police commissionerates, range offices, local crime branches, and cyber police stations across the state. Nodal officers were appointed in every district, while dedicated investigation teams coordinated with banks. Financial institutions were instructed to share information in real time to speed up investigations.
Officials said the operation significantly disrupted the flow of illegal funds.
Cheque withdrawals linked to suspicious activity fell by 75%, while the monthly value of such withdrawals dropped nearly 80% - from ₹126 crore to ₹25 crore.
Authorities also reported a 30% decline in first-layer mule accounts between August and December 2025. ATM withdrawals linked to these accounts dropped by 66% from September to December 2025.
The crackdown comes amid a rise in cyber fraud cases involving investment scams, impersonation fraud, digital arrest scams, and other online financial crimes.
Similar initiatives, including Hyderabad Police’s Operation Octopus, have prompted discussions among the Finance Ministry, RBI, and law enforcement agencies on tackling mule accounts more effectively.
The Reserve Bank of India has also launched an AI-based risk-scoring framework through the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC).
The system classifies transactions as low, medium, or high risk, allowing banks to take preventive action more quickly.
Authorities have additionally launched MuleHunter.ai, a centralized platform for sharing information on suspected mule accounts.
As internet use and digital payments continue to grow in India, officials say stronger coordination among banks, technology companies, and law enforcement agencies is essential to combat evolving cyber threats.
