Bengaluru police bust illegal SIM box network linked to cyber fraud

The Karnataka Cyber Command, in coordination with the Department of Telecommunications, has dismantled an illegal SIM box network operating out of two apartments in the Kadugodi and Pattandur Agrahara areas of Bengaluru.

Authorities seized ten SIM box devices with a combined capacity of 320 SIM connections. The investigation revealed that the network used unauthorized Airtel SIM cards, which were reportedly converted into e-SIM profiles. Four individuals from the Gondia district of Maharashtra were arrested for their alleged involvement in the e-SIM supply chain.

The operation was initiated following a complaint from Bharti Airtel Limited regarding the unauthorized use of its SIM cards. Police suspect the network was used to facilitate various cybercrimes across India, including digital arrest scams, sextortion, and large-scale financial fraud. Investigators are looking into the possibility that the network is linked to fraudulent activities totaling hundreds of crores of rupees.