The police found a sophisticated web of foreign involvement, cryptocurrency funding, and fraudulent transactions totalling at least Rs 20 crore within the state alone

Hyderabad:

A massive international cyberfraud network that used 'SIM box technology' to rob people has been busted by the Andhra Pradesh cyber crime police. A SIM box allows operators to route international calls through local SIM cards, bypassing legal international gateways and masking the origin of fraudulent calls.

The police found a sophisticated web of foreign involvement, cryptocurrency funding, and fraudulent transactions totalling at least Rs 20 crore within the state alone.

The investigation was triggered by a formal complaint from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

Cyber Crime SP Adiraj Singh Rana told reporters that the authorities identified 14 SIM box devices operating as part of an international network.

During raids, the police seized over 1,500 illegal SIM cards and arrested 20 people, including local operators, SIM aggregators, and fake agents. The racket has deep international roots, with financing originating from abroad and involving international importers and exporters.

A foreign national was arrested in West Bengal. According to SP Rana, this individual was responsible for entering India specifically to set up the high-tech devices and train local recruits on their operation.

The investigation revealed that the financial trail is heavily masked, with money being routed through cryptocurrency transactions and a network of "mule accounts" to avoid detection by banking authorities.

The SP highlighted that the criminal network used "misinformation and deception" to smuggle the SIM box devices into the country.

"We have coordinated closely with the Customs Department regarding how these devices were imported. An advisory has been issued following our findings," Rana said.

While Rs 20 crore in cybercrime has already been linked to the recovered SIMs, the police fear the scale could be much larger. So far, only two to three devices have undergone full forensic analysis.

Investigators believe many more SIM cards linked to these devices may still be active across the country. The police are currently analysing a vast amount of data and working to identify "fake agents" who provided the fraudulent SIM cards. Further arrests are expected as the forensic examination of the remaining SIM boxes progresses.