Argus News - SIM Box Racket in Odisha Exposes Global Cybercrime Network

Bhubaneswar, Mar 2: A sophisticated SIM box racket operating out of Bhubaneswar has been busted, exposing a transnational network with links to China, Bangladesh, and West Bengal. The operation, masterminded by Bangladeshi national Asaruddur Zaman, allegedly involved hardware sourced from China, software from Bangladesh, SIM cards from India, and local operatives in Odisha, police sources said on Monday.

Police arrested two accused, Umar M and Siakul Khan, who had rented a hostel room in Chandrasekharpur using fake identity documents. From the premises, authorities seized 12 SIM boxes, hundreds of SIM cards, routers, and laptops configured as servers. Investigators revealed that B.Tech students were recruited to assist in the operation, highlighting the racket’s deep penetration into local networks.

Earlier, a similar bust in Bhubaneswar’s Kesura area had uncovered SIM boxes linked to Zaman and his associate Raju Mondal. According to police, Zaman visited Odisha in September, conducted reconnaissance, and set up operations under the guise of renting houses. Equipment was smuggled from West Bengal concealed inside music boxes, enabling the racket to evade detection for months.

SIM boxes are devices that can hold multiple SIM cards simultaneously, converting international internet calls into local calls. This makes foreign-origin calls appear as domestic numbers, masking identities and complicating traceability. Such technology is frequently exploited for cyber fraud, extortion, threatening calls, and even terrorist communication.

The Commissionerate Police, supported by cyber experts and scientific teams, are now probing deeper into the racket’s roots. Questions remain over Zaman’s movements across Indian states, his local contacts, and the masterminds behind fake SIM supply chains in West Bengal. Interpol and central investigative agencies have been roped in to track Zaman, who is believed to be the key architect of the operation.

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Authorities fear that beyond financial fraud, the racket may have links to larger anti-India conspiracies. The challenge for Odisha Police lies not only in dismantling the local network but also in tracing the international masterminds orchestrating these operations from abroad.