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Once considered a quiet and largely overlooked part of Assam, Morigaon district has now emerged as a covert operational hub for one of the country’s largest and most organised cybercrime networks. Recent police investigations have revealed that scam operations run from the district were directly linked to foreign handlers based in Pakistan and Southeast Asia. The disclosures have raised serious concerns not only about large-scale financial fraud but also about India’s internal security.
According to investigating agencies, organised crime groups with links to states such as Rajasthan and Haryana deliberately chose Morigaon’s remote and lightly monitored areas to set up their bases. From these locations, they established fully equipped cyber fraud units operating on the lines of call centres. New recruits were trained to make scam calls, impersonate bank officials and law enforcement personnel, and execute so-called “digital arrest” frauds using prepared scripts. For months, these networks operated without major disruption, targeting victims across the country and siphoning off hundreds of crores of rupees.
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Massive SIM Card Operations and Fake Identities
Police say the backbone of these operations was large-scale identity forgery. Using fake Aadhaar cards and other fabricated documents, the syndicates procured thousands of SIM cards under single or false identities. These SIM cards were sourced from different parts of India, making surveillance and tracking significantly more difficult. The numbers were then used for phishing, vishing and “digital arrest” scams, in which unsuspecting citizens were intimidated or deceived into transferring their life savings. Banks, too, suffered heavy losses, while public trust in digital systems took a severe blow.
Crackdown Reveals Pakistan Money Trails
The scope of the financial crimes extended far beyond online scams. Investigators have found that in several cases, the accused secured bank loans worth hundreds of crores by submitting forged documents and fake identity profiles. Once the funds were credited, the operators disappeared. The money was laundered through multiple layers of mule accounts before being routed overseas. Officials said that several money trails eventually terminated in accounts linked to handlers operating from Pakistan and Southeast Asia.
Historic Assam Police Operation
Following these revelations, Assam Police launched a massive crackdown across Morigaon district. More than 300 cybercriminals have been arrested so far, and nearly ₹2 crore has been recovered and returned to victims. In the largest SIM-related operation in the state’s history, over 72,000 SIM cards were seized and deactivated. A significant number of these were registered in Assam but were found active near the India–Pakistan border, further heightening the concerns of security agencies.
National Security Threat and Future Crackdown
Investigators have also identified a troubling recruitment pattern. Some youths who migrated to metropolitan centres such as Bengaluru and parts of Kerala in search of employment were allegedly exposed to established cyber fraud ecosystems there. Upon returning home, they were absorbed into local networks. Over time, Morigaon evolved into both a training ground and an execution hub, giving the syndicates a steady supply of manpower and allowing the operations to expand across state and national boundaries.
Officials say the case has now moved well beyond the realm of routine online fraud. With clear evidence of cross-border coordination, organised crime structures and money laundering, the issue is being treated as a serious national security challenge. Assam Police are working in close coordination with central intelligence and security agencies to dismantle the networks comprehensively. Choking funding channels, dismantling digital infrastructure and tightening surveillance to prevent fresh recruitment remain key priorities.
Senior officials have asserted that Morigaon will not be allowed to become a permanent base for transnational digital crime. In the coming weeks, agencies are expected to step up arrests, attach properties linked to the syndicates and seek enhanced international cooperation to dismantle the network at its roots.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
