The Punjab government has decided to expand the mandate of the Crime Control Department (CCD) to crack down on criminals looting people through online and electronic means, 24News reported on Sunday.
Previously, the CCD focused on dacoits, robbers, drug smugglers, and sexual offenders. Now, it will also be authorized to act against those involved in digital and device-based financial scams.
Officials took this decision after a sharp rise in cases where innocent citizens lost their lifelong savings to such schemes. Reports said that salaried individuals and businessmen are frequent targets. Even recipients of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) are not spared by these fraudsters.
The report said these criminal groups are also involved in short-term kidnappings. However, many of these incidents never result in formal police cases.
Authorities estimate that these organized gangs have extracted billions of rupees through online fraud, electronic scams, and related crimes.
As part of the new measures, the government has also decided to move against the financial backbone of these networks. The properties and assets of those linked to such organized criminal gangs will now be attached under the law, in an effort to dismantle their operations and recover looted money.
