New Delhi: In a major crackdown on organised cybercrime, the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell has busted a key module of an international “SIM Box” fraud syndicate and arrested two accused from East Delhi, officials said on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Vaibhav Raj (29) and Anil Kumar (28), both residents of Gharoli Extension in Delhi.
According to police, the syndicate was being operated with links to handlers based in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries. The network was involved in impersonating law enforcement officials and carrying out “digital arrest” scams, along with fraudulent investment schemes to dupe unsuspecting victims.
The breakthrough came during ‘Operation CyHawk 4.0’ conducted on April 6 and 7, when investigators analysed cyber fraud patterns on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. A suspicious SIM Box/GSM gateway set-up was traced to a rented flat on the sixth floor of a building in GD Colony, Mayur Vihar Phase-III.
The illegal set-up was being used to route international VoIP calls through Indian mobile networks, allowing foreign-based fraudsters to contact victims using local phone numbers and evade detection.
During the raid, police recovered one active 32-slot SIM Box, over 350 SIM cards, multiple mobile phones, a Lenovo laptop, internet routers, and bank-related documents. Several courier envelopes from logistics firms were also seized, indicating a steady supply chain for SIM cards and electronic devices.
Investigations revealed that Vaibhav Raj arranged the Internet connection, operated the SIM Box and laptop, and provided remote access to overseas fraudsters using applications such as AnyDesk. He also regularly replaced SIM cards on instructions from handlers.
Anil Kumar, on the other hand, had rented the premises and managed logistics, financial transactions, and coordination of deliveries. Police said the duo also facilitated mule bank accounts used to layer and siphon off defrauded funds.
The syndicate’s modus operandi involved impersonating officials from agencies such as the CBI, police, and Customs. Victims were falsely told that multiple FIRs had been registered against them and were threatened with arrest. They were then manipulated into transferring money into so-called “RBI-mandated accounts” under the pretext of verification, with assurances of refund — which never came.
Police said at least three cases have already been linked to a bank account associated with the racket.
Officials described the operation as part of a larger, well-coordinated transnational cybercrime network posing a serious threat to public security and telecom infrastructure.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate, trace the money trail, and establish the full extent of its international links.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IFSO), Vinit Kumar, reiterated Delhi Police’s zero-tolerance policy towards cybercrime and urged citizens to remain vigilant against “digital arrest” scams and report suspicious calls immediately.
(IANS)
