TGCSB nabs 5 for supplying over 600 SIM cards to Cambodia cybercrime ring

Hyderabad: The TGCSB on Wednesday, April 1, said it has arrested five people from here and Uttar Pradesh for supplying over 600 Indian SIM cards to a cyber fraud syndicate operating from Cambodia, which defrauded Indian citizens of crores of rupees.

The five cyber criminals were closely associated with the Chinese fraud syndicate in Cambodia wherein the Indian SIM cards were being used for cyber crime like phishing, identity theft, impersonation, and extortion, causing huge losses to Indian citizens, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) Director Shikha Goel said in a release.

On March 31, one of the accused, Syed Ashraf Ali, who was trying to carry 198 SIM cards to Cambodia on the instructions of another accused Rizvan, was intercepted at the international airport here by the Immigration authorities and handed over to TGCSB.

A case under relevant sections of BNS and the Telecommunication Act was registered.

During questioning, Ashraf “confessed” about their organised network, which includes a mastermind operating from Cambodia and Rizvan coordinates the SIM card procurement through local agents who illegally obtain SIM cards from innocent people, she said.

“It has been established that more than 600 SIM cards have been illegally transported since 2023 in six separate instances through this organised network. While five accused have been arrested so far, the network is much larger, with multiple layers of operatives,” Goel said.

The official further said Ashraf went to Dubai in 2023 where he befriended Rizvan of Uttar Pradesh.

Rizvan offered him lucrative amount for supplying Indian SIM cards. Being lured, Ashraf began procuring SIM cards and these procured Indian SIM cards were being used for cyber crime, she said.

The illegal supply chain worked in a structured manner from local Point-of-Sale (POS) agents on commission, often using fake or impersonated documents.

Three other arrested accused, who operate point of sale centres in Hyderabad and Hanumakonda, together wilfully and with complete knowledge procured and supplied 600 plus active SIM cards to be used for financial frauds, the official said.

Another accused who works as a courier to this gang, is absconding and efforts are on to apprehend him along with the remaining members of the network, including those operating from abroad, Goel said, adding that the investigation is continuing.