Andhra Police Bust International SIM Box Telecom Fraud Racket

The Andhra Pradesh CID, in coordination with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has busted an international cybercrime network involved in large-scale telecom fraud through illegal SIM Box operations, arresting 14 accused, including two foreign nationals.

Addressing a press conference, Cyber Crimes Superintendent of Police Adhiraj Singh Rana said the gang was responsible for converting international internet-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls into local GSM calls using SIM Box devices installed across India. This manipulation made overseas scam calls appear domestic, deceiving recipients and telecom systems alike, and resulted in an estimated ₹720 crore financial loss.

According to police, the cybercriminals were operating from several South-East Asian countries, including Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia. Foreign handlers routed calls to India and coordinated with local operatives using encrypted messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp.

Investigators uncovered a sophisticated setup in which SIM Box devices were secretly imported through courier services using fake identities and temporary addresses. These devices were installed in rented houses across multiple states to evade detection.

Special CID teams conducted coordinated raids in Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Rourkela, Nalanda, Arambol, and Kolkata, leading to the arrest of a Vietnamese national along with Indian operators and Point-of-Sale (POS) agents who allegedly facilitated SIM procurement.

Officials said further investigation is underway to identify additional links, trace financial trails, and dismantle the wider international network behind the telecom fraud operation.