Quebec debit card ring defrauds 22,000

Police in Quebec have arrested 45 people and seized more than 12,000 counterfeit bank cards in raids on aninternational fraud ring that cloned cards and pilfered cash from victims' accounts.

"We believe that weve put an end to a significant operation that was in operation here in the province," said Supt. Guy Pilon of the RCMP.

"Internationally, it is a reality that is obviously evident in all countries today. The advent of the technology creates opportunity for the public, but also for criminal organizations that want to defraud individuals."

The network was based in Montreal, but worked with accomplices in Vancouver, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Tunisia and the United Kingdom.

The RCMP say 61 arrest warrants have been issued on charges including gangsterism, manufacturing of forged cards, fraud and identity theft.

In one such attack, the fraudsters used 79 cards at 23 banks and drained $30,000 out of victims' accountsall within five minutes.

Pilon said police in Quebec are working with international authorities to help identify accomplices outside of Canada.

A steady stream of vehicles carrying suspects flowed into Montreal police's northern operational headquarters Wednesday morning. More than 30 arrests had been made by 9 a.m. ET.

It marks the first time Canadian authorities have laid gangsterism charges in connection with a fraud case.

In total, police identified 22,000 victims who were defrauded of $7.7 million. However, the fraudhad the potential loss of $100 million, investigators explained.

Locations in the greater Montreal area and Ontario were targeted, with about 250 officers involved in theoperation.

The RCMP said the wave of arrests follows a major debit card fraudtakedown in November 2010.