Lucknow SIM box racket: Crime Branch intensifies technical probe; 192 e-SIMs, Chinese-made devices under scanner

The Lucknow Crime Branch on Monday intensified its technical investigation into an illegal SIM Box network unearthed recently in the Uttar Pradesh capital, leading to several key revelations, police officials said.

The Lucknow Crime Branch on Monday intensified its technical investigation into an illegal SIM Box network unearthed recently in the Uttar Pradesh capital, leading to several key revelations, police officials said. In earlier operations, police had busted multiple hideouts and seized six illegal 32-port SIM Box devices, along with routers and VPN Gateways.

According to officials familiar with the probe, technical analysis of the seized hardware revealed 192 active e-SIMs embedded in the setup. Investigators also found that the recovered telecom equipment bore "Made in China" markings. In a bid to evade surveillance and law enforcement scrutiny, the accused avoided conventional CCTV setups and instead installed Wi-Fi-enabled smart face-detection doorbells to monitor movements outside their premises discreetly, investigators noted.

Preliminary investigations also suspect that the sophisticated SIM Box devices were smuggled into India disguised within sound amplifier components. Police have launched a comprehensive inquiry to map the international and domestic supply chains involved in sourcing the hardware. Explaining the operational threat, cyber officials stated that such illegal SIM Box networks are primarily used to bypass international telecommunication gateways. Foreign Voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls are converted into local telecom traffic, masking foreign caller IDs to make them appear as domestic Indian mobile numbers.

To ascertain the wider network, the Crime Branch is coordinating with central agencies. The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers and technical parameters of the seized hardware are being cross-matched through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to link the devices with reported cybercrime complaints nationwide. Meanwhile, Lucknow Police have issued an advisory appealing to landlords and property owners to ensure mandatory tenant verification.

Earlier on November 1, in a breakthrough against cyber syndicates operating 'digital arrest' scams, the Lucknow Police Crime Branch busted an illegal telecom network under 'Operation Digital Kavach' and seized six illegal SIM boxes alongside high-tech equipment. According to police officials, coordinated raids were conducted across four locations in the city, including Sushant Golf City, Para, BBD, and Chinhat.

During the raids, the police recovered 6 illegal SIM boxes (comprising 192 SIM slots), 3 VPN Gateways, 21 Smart Switches and 3 Smart Hubs; 4 UPS units, 18 batteries, a locked tablet, Wi-Fi routers, security cameras, and other digital apparatus. Preliminary investigations suggest that the setup was being used to bypass telecom gateways, route international Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls as local cellular calls, and mask the callers' identity. Cybercriminals allegedly used this infrastructure to orchestrate 'digital arrest' and extortion frauds across various states.

A case has been registered at the Cyber Police Station. Officials said the seized hardware has been sent for forensic examination, and efforts are underway to track down the handlers and beneficiaries of the illicit network. (ANI)