Konjhar: The police in Konjhar, Odisha, dismantled a racket selling pre-activated SIM cards on Thursday. Four members of this group have been arrested. The accused allegedly sold active SIM cards in Odisha to cybercriminals in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Rajasthan. The arrests took place in Ghasipura, and from the suspects, the police confiscated 538 SIM cards, 18 mobile phones, 5 biometric scanners, 185 passport-sized photos, 25 ID cards, 25 ATM cards, and a laptop. According to Konjhar SP Nitin Kushal, the police received information from the Maharashtra police, leading to the crackdown. It was discovered during the investigation that a group in Ghasipura was actively involved in the pre-activated SIM card trade.
The racket had reportedly sold over 4,000 pre-activated SIM cards to cybercriminals in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and other states. The police have records of 300 SIM cards being used for cybercrimes across different parts of the country. Konjhar SP Vishnudatt Sharma stated that following the information received, the police cracked down on the racket involved in cybercrimes. The police have arrested four individuals, and during the investigation, it was revealed that more than 4,000 pre-activated SIM cards were sold to cybercriminals in different states. The police have seized records of 300 SIM cards used for cybercrimes in various parts of the country.
IP Probation Officer Ramendra Prasad, responsible for the investigation, revealed that the cybercriminals posed as bank staff or government employees to deceive people. The gang in Ghasipura activated two SIM cards simultaneously, providing one to a local individual and selling the other outside the state for use in cybercrime.
The accused presented as Point of Sale (POS) agents for telecom companies and registered SIM cards in the names of people from the Konjhar district. They sold the pre-activated SIM cards to cybercriminals outside the state for Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, later used for cyber fraud. The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are expected concerning the case.
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