LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 281 suspects, including 21 foreign nationals and 20 women, during operations against seven illegal call centres allegedly involved in financial fraud, online harassment and honey-trapping.

NCCIA Lahore Zone Additional Director Atif Ameer, during a press conference here on Friday, said that the agency had intensified its crackdown on cybercrime over the past week and would not allow illegal call centres to operate in Lahore.

He said the arrested suspects included 260 Pakistanis and 21 foreign nationals -- 12 Chinese, five Filipinos, two Vietnamese, one Malaysian and one Nepalese citizen. During the operations, the NCCIA Lahore recovered 362 mobile phones, 191 computer systems, 74 laptops, 127 other digital devices and 550 SIM cards. The seized equipment had been sent for forensic examination, he added.

Mr Ameer said the call centres were allegedly involved in financial fraud, online harassment and honey-trapping. He said action against foreign nationals involved in cybercrime would also continue.

Highlighting action against online offences involving children, Mr Ameer said the NCCIA had arrested three suspects in child pornography cases during the preceding week. He said the agency was working with artificial intelligence (AI) institutions to strengthen its ability to detect and investigate online offences involving children. Agreements had been signed with international AI institutions, while AI-assisted analysis helped identify a suspect in Gujranwala, leading to his arrest, he said.

Mr Ameer said the NCCIA was also pursuing cases involving online harassment, blackmailing and the circulation of private photographs and videos.

Regarding financial fraud, he said the agency was investigating fraudulent transactions involving mobile wallets and bank accounts. He said the NCCIA had recovered Rs19,246,240 in five financial fraud cases and 10 inquiries.

The additional director said digital devices seized in cybercrime cases were undergoing forensic examination for collecting evidence and establishing facts.

Mr Ameer said the NCCIA had also been assigned responsibilities relating to anti-money laundering, while its operational resources were being strengthened to address emerging cyber threats.

To facilitate citizens, the NCCIA Lahore Zone had introduced an open-court initiative three days a week, providing people with an opportunity to present their complaints. Responding to a question about cricketer Mohammad Rizwan, Mr Ameer said the purpose of calling him was to obtain his mobile phone for forensic examination. He said Rizwan had handed over his phone and the relevant facts would emerge after the examination was completed.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2026