The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Karachi Zone, has arrested 42 people, including company owners and employees, during raids on three companies in Rabia City over their alleged involvement in producing, promoting and selling sexually explicit cartoon animations and other digital content to international customers.
During the operation, investigators seized 41 mobile phones for technical examination and forensic analysis to determine the nature and extent of the suspected activities, establish the roles of those arrested and ascertain whether any offences had been committed under Pakistani law.
According to the NCCIA, preliminary investigations suggest that the three companies operated teams of online agents who approached foreign customers through social media platforms, particularly Instagram and Twitter, now known as X. The agents allegedly used multiple accounts created under fictitious names, female identities and impersonated profiles to attract potential clients and promote their services.
Investigators are examining allegations that these accounts were used to solicit orders from international customers for various digital services, including logo and banner designing, digital illustrations, animations and sexually explicit cartoon content.
The agency is probing whether misleading online identities were deliberately used to attract customers and facilitate the promotion and sale of the suspected content. The seized devices are expected to help investigators examine communications, social media activity and other digital evidence linked to the alleged operations.
The NCCIA identified the three companies as Pixel Craft, Art Office and Art Design, although the exact name of the third company remains under verification.
Pixel Craft, reportedly owned by Fida Hussain, had allegedly been operating for about two years, providing logo and banner designing and other digital artwork services to international clients.
Investigators seized 19 mobile phones from the company. The agency is examining whether its digital designing activities were connected to the suspected production or sale of sexually explicit animated content.
The second company, Art Office, was reportedly owned by a person identified as Danish and had four employees. According to preliminary information, it primarily offered logo and banner designing services to foreign customers through online platforms. Five mobile phones were seized from the company for technical and forensic examination.
The third company, identified as Art Design, whose exact name remains under verification, was reportedly operated by Mohsin and Ehsan and employed 17 people. It allegedly provided digital designing, animation and other online content services to international clients. The NCCIA seized 17 mobile phones from this company.
The agency’s figures account for all 41 mobile phones recovered during the operation. A total of 42 people, including company owners and employees, were arrested across the three premises.
Investigators are also examining how the suspected online operation was organised, how prospective foreign customers were approached and whether individual employees had specific roles in the alleged activities.
The agency is probing the relationship between the companies’ stated digital designing businesses and the alleged production, promotion and online sale of sexually explicit animated material. The use of multiple social media accounts and online communication channels is also under scrutiny.
The allegations against the companies and the arrested individuals remain under investigation. Their involvement in any criminal offence has not been established by a court, and any legal proceedings will be determined on the basis of the evidence and applicable law.
