Indian Police bust Tiger credit card scam
* Two LTTE suspects arrested
* Fake passports recovered
* Global links being probed
Indian Police have busted a major LTTE fundraising scam involving the
use of fake credit cards. In a major operation, a police team arrested
two Sri Lankans in this connection on Saturday night in Mangalore.
The arrested persons have been identified as Baala Ruban alias Ruban
alias Kadiravelu Gunaselvan (22) from Vavuniya and Nallatambi
Jayasheelan alias Sheelan (25) from Jaffna.
Acting upon a tip-off, the police conducted a raid in a lodge in
Mangalore and arrested the accused. The police have also seized 11
duplicate credit cards, duplicate passports and gold worth Indian Rs
300,000.
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The fake credit cards |
The arrested have confessed that they purchased gold ornaments at
Karkal and Mangalore. Primary investigations revealed that the accused
were collecting funds for LTTE through fake credit cards.
At the time of arrest, the duo were waiting for another Sri Lankan
who was said to be the mastermind behind their operation.
During interrogation, the youths informed police that a Sri Lankan
gave credit cards to them. They were asked to purchase gold ornaments
from different jewellery shops from Karkala and Mangalore using fake
credit cards.
Following his instructions, the youths purchased gold jewellery worth
around Rs 300,000 and were waiting for the Sri Lankan kingpin to hand
them over to him at the lodge. The youths have been assured a commission
for the task by the kingpin.
It has been found that their SIM cards contained phone numbers of
various persons in many parts of the world. The police suspected the
involvement of international hands behind this racket.
The police have filed a case against them in connection with illegal
migration and the use of fake credit cards.
Baala Ruban, one of the arrested, had been in Chennai in June 2006
and Sheelan had been India in January 2007.
They were stealing information from the shops by using credit cards.
They were using software absorbing devices for stealing information.
The Dakshina Kannada district police have warned businessmen, bankers
and other financial institutions to be cautious about fake credit cards.
The arrested had confessed that the fake passport found in the name
of Kathiravelu Gunashelvan was prepared at Chennai. Mangalore North
Police have registered cases against the arrested. |
