- Sharjah Police arrested 33 suspects from 12 nationalities in a crypto crime raid.
- Over $54 million was seized from four gangs that hacked and stole crypto wallets.
- One network used violence and threats to force victims to reveal wallet passkeys.
Sharjah Police Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer announced the dismantling of four international criminal networks in an operation called “End of the Battle.” The groups allegedly posed as legitimate investors while using threats and physical violence to force victims to hand over their crypto wallet passcodes. Police arrested 33 suspects from 12 nationalities.
Four Networks, One Playbook
Officials said the groups split the work:
- Hackers broke into accounts and stole databases.
- Data sellers sorted the stolen information and offered it on the dark web.
- Scammers used social engineering, backed by artificial intelligence tools, to lure victims and steal wallets.
- Enforcers used threats and physical violence, including harm to victims’ families in several countries, to force compliance.
Launderers then moved the proceeds through virtual assets. Prosecutors say the money ended up in real estate, luxury cars, watches and jewellery.
A Code That Changed Every Eight Hours
Members coordinated through a hidden hub on a social media platform. Police said the group relied on a security code that changed every eight hours to protect its operations.
The Juvenile Who Unravelled It
Detectives broke in after finding a juvenile suspect with a wallet containing large sums. Police said he was planning to kidnap people who owned multiple wallets, and they arrested him before the plot began. His links led to wider groups. Police arrested some main suspects abroad and brought them back.
What the Raids Found
Police seized more than AED 200 million (about $54 million), 17 luxury cars, 29 watches, a villa, two villas under construction, two plots of land and cold wallets. They also found narcotics, counterfeit currency, and counterfeiting tools. Prosecutors said about AED 8.83 billion was laundered.
Headline Figure
Police put the operation’s value at more than AED 65 billion, or about $17.7 billion. That figure covers assets they say they secured while protecting more than 30 companies and institutions worldwide. Police also said they audited more than 3,000 wallets.
The operation highlights how crypto-related crime can extend beyond online scams into organized networks involving data theft, social engineering, physical intimidation, and money laundering. While Sharjah Police have dismantled the four networks, the case also underscores the challenges authorities face in tracing illicit crypto proceeds and protecting victims across borders.
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