Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested a 33-year-old suspect accused of operating an online counterfeit US postage stamp business that allegedly caused losses exceeding $126 million to the United States Postal Service.
The arrest was announced on Tuesday by NCCIA Lahore Zone Additional Director Atif Ameer, who said the suspect, originally from Khanewal, had allegedly operated the website LabelsBank.com between August 2023 and September 2026.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the website allegedly sold more than five million counterfeit US postage labels.
Ameer said the labels were marketed online for approximately $2 each. He added that investigators had estimated the overall transaction value at around Rs35 billion, a figure authorities are still working to verify.
The NCCIA identified 16 bank accounts allegedly linked to the operation, including seven operated by the suspect, five by his brother, two by his wife and one each by his sister and aunt.
Investigators are examining how payments were received, transferred and distributed through these accounts.
“The involvement of family members is also being examined as part of the investigation, particularly the alleged use of their bank accounts in connection with the online business,” Ameer said.
He emphasised that investigators were also examining the roles of other individuals potentially involved in managing the website, processing orders and distributing counterfeit postage labels.
The NCCIA formed eight specialised teams across Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh to locate the suspect and investigate the alleged network.
According to Ameer, investigators conducted raids at 35 locations and questioned 47 individuals during the operation.
The agency also examined 122 call-data records, 50 IMEI-tracking reports and recordings from 120 surveillance cameras to trace the suspect’s movements and identify possible associates.
Ameer said artificial intelligence and other digital forensic tools were used during the investigation, while a targeted operation to establish the suspect’s whereabouts continued for 10 days.
The NCCIA is now working to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud, verify the value of transactions and establish whether additional individuals participated in the operation.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations against the suspect and other individuals have yet to be determined by a court.