The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru Police has dismantled a sophisticated illegal SIM box network allegedly used to convert international phone calls into local calls, a method often exploited in cybercrimes. This is the second such operation busted in two weeks, following an earlier arrest of two suspects.
Investigation Triggered by Telecom Alert
The investigation began on August 2 after Anil Kumar, representing Vodafone Idea Limited in Domlur, lodged a complaint. He relayed information from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) about an illegal SIM box operation suspected to be aiding cybercrime.
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A SIM box is a device loaded with multiple SIM cards that can redirect international calls through local networks, bypassing legitimate telecom gateways. This not only causes substantial financial losses to service providers and the government but also poses national security risks.
The DoT traced the activity to the International Tech Park in Whitefield, Bengaluru. An internal check revealed that 107 Vodafone Idea SIM cards, all registered under Gleam Global Services India Private Limited, were being misused. CCB officials discovered that these SIMs were installed in SIM boxes at the Iron Mountain Data Centre in Whitefield.
Arrest and Seizure
The police secured the custody of Chota Ahammed Mubaraq, alias Tufail, 37, a BE graduate from Tamil Nadu residing in Kothanur, Bengaluru. Tufail, who was already in prison for an unrelated cyber fraud case, allegedly confessed to installing the SIM box infrastructure under instructions from two associates abroad. Police plan to issue Look Out Circulars (LOCs) for these suspects.
A raid on the data centre resulted in the seizure of six SIM boxes, 133 SIM cards, 12 data storage servers, one networking router/switch, and other related equipment, valued at approximately ₹10 lakh. Authorities suspect the seized SIMs were used in multiple cybercrime schemes.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh urged data centre owners to conduct strict background checks before renting space. Officials emphasise that such illegal telecom setups not only cheat the system but also enable criminal networks to operate under anonymity, making cyber fraud detection more difficult.
