Ahmedabad: The Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCOE), Gandhinagar, has made its 13th arrest in connection with the alleged international cryptocurrency network linked to terror financing, drug trafficking and dark web markets. One of the key accused, who is wanted in the case, is allegedly associated with a front organisation of terror outfit Hamas.Authorities arrested Shabbarhusen Padela, 35, of Sarkhej, after blockchain tracking allegedly revealed his role in a larger operation involving crypto, USDT, and cash conversions.According to investigators, the network allegedly handled Monero and Binance wallet transactions associated with prime accused Zuber Popatia and Zeeshan Motiwala. Police claimed these wallets were used by terror-linked entities and that the proceeds were routed through peer-to-peer crypto channels to obscure their origin.Officials alleged Padela helped convert crypto into cash and also used an Instagram account, “UK medicineonwheel”, to identify customers for narcotic substances in the UK.The CCOE officials said that Padela is accused of working with co-accused Mohsin Molani and of using courier channels to send consignments to Salman Ansari, who is based in the UK. Investigators said that a mobile phone seized from Padela could reveal further communication, wallet links and delivery records pertaining to the case.The accused has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act for alleged organised crime, conspiracy, cyber impersonation and cheating-related offences.In May, the CCOE unearthed an international cryptocurrency syndicate involving transactions worth Rs 226 crore. The CCOE had then arrested nine persons for their involvement, of which one each was from Mumbai and Karnal in Haryana, while the remaining seven were from Ahmedabad city. Later, three more arrests were made, taking the number to 12.The probe, led by the CCOE of CID Crime, found that cryptocurrency accounts operated through Binance were linked to 935 cyberfraud cases and were allegedly connected to global terror financing, narcotics trafficking and dark web operations.
