WARANGAL: The cybercrime unit of the Warangal Commissionerate and the Jangaon Police jointly busted a five-member international gang luring people with easy loans via instant loan apps.

Three of them were arrested while a search is on for two main accused.Commissioner of Police P Promod Kumar said Erick Penglu of China who came on a business visa to India last year created four instant financing apps in association with Padra Binda Ray of Odisha.The gang opened an office in Bengaluru in the name of Shine Bay Technologies India Pvt Ltd and started financing gullible people through their apps with help from accomplices Debashis Das, Sanjay BR and Santhosh Kumar Naik, all residents of Bengaluru. The accused used to fleece their customers by charging exorbitant interest rates.

“If the customers failed to pay, the gang would threaten them via its tele-callers.

The gang used to send abusive messages to customers besides labeling them as defaulters.

They also spread the messages to the customers’ friends and relatives,” the CP said.The gang secured the contact list of the customers through their app.The police started a probe after one Bandaru Srinivas of Jangaon lodged a complaint on December 18.

Srinivas secured a loan of Rs45,000 through the app.

The organisers harassed him after he failed to repay the loan amount. The CP formed a special team with the Cybercrime and Jangaon police under the supervision of West Zone DCP Srinivas Reddy.Three of the gang-members were taken into custody in Bengaluru and brought to Jangaon.

Two laptops, three cell phones and SIM cards were seized from them.

A manhunt has been launched for arrest of Erick Penglu and Padra Binda Ray.The commissioner praised the team of Jangaon Inspector Malleshwar, cybercrime inspector Janardhan Reddy, cyber SI Ravi Kumar, Sathish, assistant analytical officer Prashanth etc for cracking the case.