International Cybercrime Ring Busted in Andhra Pradesh, ₹20 Crore Loss Estimated
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Andhra Pradesh CID, in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications, has made a significant breakthrough in combating cybercrime by arresting 14 members of an international network involved in SIM Box operations and telecom fraud. The accused, including two foreign nationals, were using sophisticated devices called 'SIM Boxes' to convert international calls into local GSM calls, causing a substantial financial loss of approximately ₹20 crore. According to Cyber Crimes Superintendent of Police Adhiraj Singh Rana, the network was operating from South-East Asian countries, including Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand. The cybercriminals routed internet-based Voice over Internet Protocol calls through SIM Boxes installed in India, making the calls appear local to deceive recipients. The foreign operators communicated instructions to their Indian associates via popular messaging apps, Telegram and WhatsApp. The CID, with the help of special teams, conducted raids in multiple states, including Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Rourkela, Nalanda, Arambol, and Kolkata, apprehending a Vietnamese national and several Indian local operators and Point of Sale agents. During the raids, police recovered 14 SIM Boxes, 22 mobile phones, 8 routers, 7 cameras, 1 laptop, and nearly 1,500 SIM cards. The investigation is ongoing to track the wider network, money flows, and additional fraudulent activities orchestrated through SIM Box operations. A case has been registered, and further action is expected to be taken against the accused.
