Thane Police Bust International SIM Card Fraud Network: Three Arrested, 779 SIM Cards Seized
Thane, 20th July 2024: Thane police have dismantled an international network involved in supplying SIM cards for fraud activities in countries like Cambodia, Dubai, and China. According to officials, the operation led to the arrest of three individuals—two from Chhattisgarh and one from Delhi—along with the seizure of 779 pre-activated SIM cards.
Thane Deputy Commissioner of Police for Cybercrime and Economic Offences Wing, Parag Manere, reported that these SIM cards were used in share trading fraud and other cyber crimes. The police estimate that around 3,000 SIM cards may have been employed in similar fraudulent activities.
Investigations into 16 cases in Thane revealed that these crimes involved the use of WhatsApp with 30 mobile phones and nearly 2,600 SIM cards from Chhattisgarh, Tripura, and other locations. The SIM cards were activated through a WhatsApp IP address in Hong Kong.
In a particular case involving a fraud of Rs 29.3 lakh, it was discovered that some of the SIM cards and mobile devices were linked to Chhattisgarh. On July 5, the police apprehended Aftab Irshad Debar (22) and Manishkumar Mohit Deshmukh (27) from Chhattisgarh. They were found in possession of 779 pre-activated SIM cards, a laptop, two Wi-Fi routers, 23 mobile phones, 50 debit/credit cards, and 20 cheque books/passbooks.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Bhaijan, also known as Hafiz Like Ahmed (48), from south Delhi. Ahmed was identified as the individual who procured the SIM cards and sold them to a criminal syndicate based in Dubai, which used them for various cyber crimes.
The SIM cards were fraudulently obtained from street vendors by capturing customers’ biometric fingerprints, then activated and linked to bank accounts for transferring illicit funds. The network’s associates in Raipur, Bilaspur, and Delhi distributed these SIM cards to criminals operating in foreign countries.
The investigation revealed that around 3,000 SIM cards had been dispatched abroad for similar illegal purposes. Further inquiries indicated the involvement of approximately six bank accounts in this extensive financial fraud. The police also identified 14 related cases across several states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, and Kerala, as reported by the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The search for additional accomplices of the arrested individuals is ongoing.
