Andhra Pradesh CID has smashed a sophisticated international cybercrime syndicate that siphoned off ₹20 crore from victims in the state alone, using illegal SIM box technology to mask foreign calls as local numbers. In a coordinated operation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), police arrested 14 out of 20 accused, including two Vietnamese nationals Ho Hu Duy and Tuan Anhpham, who masterminded the operation from Southeast Asia. The racket preyed on unsuspecting Indians by routing VoIP calls through high-speed FTTH broadband at local operators’ homes, converting them into seemingly legitimate GSM calls via SIM boxes loaded with Indian SIMs.
AP CID Cybercrimes SP Adhiraj Singh Rana and Deputy SP Dr. B. Ravikiran revealed the breakthrough at a Mangalagiri press conference, highlighting how the gang evaded detection using Telegram for instructions and fake profiles on WhatsApp to snag OTPs during SIM activations. This multi-state crackdown exposed a web spanning Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Rourkela, Nalanda, Arambol, and Kolkata, triggered by DoT’s Chakshu portal flagging suspicious activity in Visakhapatnam’s Pedagantyada-Gajuwaka area.
SIM Box Scam: How Foreign Gangs Duped Indians
The syndicate, dominated by criminals from Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia, exploited SIM boxes to bypass international call charges and impersonate locals for scams like digital arrests and fraud alerts. Calls originated from foreign SIP servers via laptops running softphones, entered India through broadband, and got rerouted as local numbers—tricking victims into answering without suspicion. Local Indian accomplices, acting as POS agents, supplied bulk SIMs and maintained the setups, earning payments while foreign bosses issued real-time commands remotely.
This mirrors rising SIM box threats across India, with Telangana’s TGCSB recently busting similar rackets linked to Cambodia-Myanmar hubs for “cyber slavery” frauds. Rana emphasized, “These devices make international scammers invisible, but Chakshu’s intelligence turned the tide—verification confirmed illegal operations instantly.” Seized SIMs alone linked to multiple AP complaints totaling ₹20 crore in losses, underscoring the scale.
Key Seizures from Raids:
- 14 SIM Boxes and 7 SIM Aggregators
- 1,496 Illegal SIM Cards
- 22 Mobile Phones, 1 Laptop, 8 Routers
- 7 Cameras, 3 UPS, 1 Inverter with Battery, 1 Monitor
Nationwide Raids and Investigation Momentum
Acting on DoT and Customs inputs, AP CID executed precise searches across six states, nabbing the Vietnamese duo and local handlers red-handed. The operation echoes DoT’s aggressive Chakshu monitoring, which has fueled SIM box busts nationwide—from Hyderabad’s Chandrayangutta to Ramagundam’s setups tied to Golden Triangle fraud hubs. Dr. Ravikiran noted, “Foreign gangs pay locals $50 daily to run these boxes, fueling a shadow telecom economy.”
Forensic checks on seized gear revealed extensive call logs, with ongoing probes tracing crypto trails and mule accounts for wider laundering networks. This aligns with national efforts by I4C and CERT-IN against VoIP-enabled scams, freezing assets worth hundreds of crores in similar cases.
AP’s bold strike signals zero tolerance for cross-border cyber threats, urging citizens to report suspicious local calls via Chakshu. With 6 fugitives at large, the hunt intensifies to dismantle this ₹20 crore menace completely.
