Over 16,000 pre-activated SIM cards seized from cybercriminal gang in Odisha

During Covid-19 pandemic last year, Odisha saw at least 31% jump in cybercrime, mostly related to online transactions, which gained prominence due to the restrictions imposed to fight the contagion.

Updated on: Jun 29, 2021, 22:08:17 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Odisha Police busted a gang selling pre-activated SIM cards to cyber criminals outside the state with help from employees of private telecom operators and recovered 16,000 pre-activated SIM cards and more than 150 mobile phones from the seven accused, a police officer said.

The arrests have brought the loopholes in the SIM verification system into sharp focus and the potential it has for misuse by criminal and anti-national elements. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

“The racket was operating by arranging pre-activated SIM cards which they used to send gangs sitting outside, mostly [in] Rajasthan, for various cyber crimes. While investigating a case in Bhubaneswar, we learnt that such a racket is operating out of Bhadrak town,” said Saumendra Priyadarshi, police commissioner, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate.

Pre-activated SIM cards are preferred by criminals as they are obtained on forged identity documents and thus can’t be traced back to the persons using them. Priyadarshi said the accused used to activate SIM cards by submitting false identity credentials.

“As distributors are under pressure to sell more SIM cards, the gang exploited this situation to their advantage. The gang subsequently activated multiple SIM cards by using the same credentials,” he said.

The arrests have brought the loopholes in the SIM verification system into sharp focus and the potential it has for misuse by unsavoury elements, posing various risks to individuals and also national security.

“This is something very serious as it is related to not just routine cybercrime through portals like olx, but also national security. By committing a serious offence through these SIM cards, the criminals can get away and put an innocent man in trouble because police will investigate the man in whose name the SIM card has been issued,” said Ishaan Sinha, a renowned cyber crime investigator who has trained police forces of several states on ways to fight cyber crime.

Sinha said serious action should be taken against the distributors of these SIM cards as well as telecom operators. “The Department of Telecom in 2012 had banned sale of pre-activated SIM cards and recommended ₹50,000 [penalty] in case of such sales,” he added.

During Covid-19 pandemic last year, Odisha saw at least 31% jump in cybercrime, mostly related to online transactions, which gained prominence due to the restrictions imposed to fight the contagion.

Odisha Police recently warned that cyber criminals were likely to defraud citizens through phone calls, e-mails and social media platforms and steal personal details on the pretext of registration for Covid vaccination, supply of oxygen and medicines, telemedicine service and charity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.