The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), in coordination with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch police, have arrested 21 people suspected of being involved in cybercrime operations and digital fraud in Pakistan's Multan and Lahore cities.

According to local media reports, NCCIA conducted raids in the two Pakistani cities on May 15 and May 16 when they found that a criminal network named ‘HeartSender Group’ was responsible for executing financial scams and developing and selling cybercrime tools globally.

Arrested Suspects

The arrested people were identified as ameez Shahzad alias Saim Raza (mastermind in Lahore), Muhammad Aslam (Rameez’s father), Atif Hussain, Muhammad Umar Irshad, Yasir Ali, Syed Saim Ali Shah, Muhammad Nowsherwan, Burhanul Haq, Adnan Munawar and Abdul Moiz from Lahore and Hussnain Haider (Multan operations head), Bilal Ahmad, Dilbar Hussain, Muhammad Adeel Akram, Awais Rasool, Usama Farooq, Usama Mehmood and Hamad Nawaz from Multan.

According to documents available with Dawn News, the gang operated as a cybercrime provider.

Its operations included maintaining online marketplaces that sold phishing kits, scam page templates, and email extractors - all advertised as ‘fully undetectable’ by security software, the Pakistan newspaper reported.

The group reportedly produced detailed video tutorials and taught people how to use the tools against people.

Rameez Shahzad allegedly ran the technical and business operations from House No 75 and House No 797 in Gulbahar Block, Bahria Town, Lahore, while coordinating with Multan-based partner Hussnain Haider, who managed operations from Street No. 1 near Prime Mart, Fatima Avenue, Multan, reported Dawn News.

The investigators recovered 32 digital devices, including servers containing evidence linking the group, while conducting the raids.

Luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini Urus were seized, along with property documents showing investments in Dubai real estate, reported Dawn News.

NCCIA Additional Director Abdul Ghaffar told Dawn News that the group’s tools were connected to more than $50m in losses in the United States alone, with European authorities investigating 63 additional cases.

“This wasn’t just a scam operation - it was essentially a cybercrime university that empowered fraudsters globally,” Ghaffar said at a press briefing as quoted by the newspaper.

Legal Step

Authorities have registered a legal case against the suspects under  the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 along with relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

To prevent escape, the names of all gang members have been added to the Exit Control List (ECL), barring them from international travel, reported Samaa News.