Indian Agencies Expose Crypto Hawala Network Funding Terror in Kashmir

TLDR

•  Indian security agencies identified a digital hawala system channeling foreign crypto funds to Kashmir for terrorism financing.
• Syndicates use Indian mule accounts to park funds temporarily, paying 0.8%–1.8% commissions to account holders.
•  Handlers control bank credentials, enabling them to layer transactions and erase the source of foreign funds.
• Wallet holders travel to cities like Delhi and Mumbai to convert crypto to cash using unregistered P2P traders.
• Operators from China, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia help locals open untraceable crypto wallets using VPNs.

Security officials in India have identified a crypto-based hawala system being used to finance terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, with operations hidden from financial regulators. The mechanism mirrors the informal hawala network but functions entirely on digital assets that avoid government tracking systems, bypassing registered financial infrastructure.

Crypto Hawala Mule Accounts Exposed

Indian security agencies report that crypto hawala operators are using local mule accounts to obscure fund transfers and conceal sources. These accounts receive and temporarily hold large sums in Indian banks before being layered through multiple transactions.

Each mule account holder receives between 0.8% and 1.8% commission for allowing their credentials to be used. Syndicates instruct account holders that the activity is safe and limited to storing money for short periods. However, the handlers maintain full access to banking credentials, including passwords and login information.

This system allows illicit funds to move undetected across regions, bypassing the formal banking system and financial monitoring tools. Once the funds pass through mule accounts, they appear as clean local money, stripping away their foreign origins.

Officials said, “This effectively breaks the financial trail, allowing foreign money to enter the local economy as untraceable cash.” These activities occur outside of any regulatory framework and are not reported to financial monitoring agencies.

Foreign Handlers Use Crypto Wallets and P2P Traders

Authorities have confirmed that foreign handlers are directly transferring cryptocurrencies to Indian wallets using private international channels. The crypto is then physically converted to Indian rupees by sending wallet holders to large cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.

There, they meet unregulated peer-to-peer (P2P) traders to sell digital assets at negotiable rates. These transactions occur without any official exchange or financial institution involvement, ensuring that the process avoids government scrutiny. The funds re-enter the economy as liquid cash with no identifiable origin.

According to reports from Jammu and Kashmir Police, individuals from countries including China, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia are operating these systems. They are helping locals set up anonymous wallets using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), without Know Your Customer (KYC) verification.

VPN services are currently blocked in Jammu and Kashmir, but this method of wallet creation continues to rise. Local police say registering new crypto wallets has grown in recent months, despite surveillance measures.