<h1>Mass crackdown on mule accounts and online fraud nets 263 arrests, 382 cases, nearly Rs 300 crore linked to PMLA</h1> State cyber police conducted a large coordinated operation targeting mule accounts and organised online fraud networks, arresting 263 people, registering 382 cases, raiding 714 locations and issuing 125 summonses. Authorities allege victims' funds from job, trading and extortion scams were routed into rented bank accounts, withdrawn and handed to middlemen; recoveries and linked frauds totalled nearly Rs 300 crore. Investigations flag cheque- and ATM-based withdrawals and dormant accounts showing sudden large transactions, raising money-laundering concerns and potential PMLA exposure. Enforcement agencies previously uncovered similar mule-account schemes involving conversion to crypto and layering through shell companies. Police plan awareness drives at educational institutions.