SIM Box Seized In Bhubaneswar; Police Suspect International Cyber Fraud Network

The device was recovered during a targeted raid conducted by a special squad under the jurisdiction of the Chandrasekharpur Police Station. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police zeroed in on a location where the SIM box was allegedly being used to route fraudulent calls.

According to senior officials, the accused were using the device to convert international Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls—primarily originating from Middle Eastern countries—into local calls. This technique enables cybercriminals to disguise the true origin of calls, making them appear domestic and thereby increasing the likelihood of duping unsuspecting victims.

SIM boxes, often deployed in organised cyber fraud operations, bypass standard telecom gateways by routing international calls through multiple local SIM cards. The technology not only masks caller identities but also causes substantial revenue losses to telecom operators while aiding financial scams.

Police sources revealed that this is the second such seizure in recent days. Earlier, a similar device was confiscated under the jurisdiction of the Laxmisagar Police Station. Preliminary investigations in that case had traced operational links to Ranchi, suggesting an inter-state network.

Investigators now suspect the racket may be part of a larger, well-coordinated syndicate with possible international linkages. Officials indicated that certain digital footprints point towards connections extending beyond India, including potential links to China, though these aspects are still under verification.

Two persons were arrested in connection with the seizure. Forensic examination of the confiscated equipment and technical data extraction are currently underway. Police were also interrogating the accused to establish the scale of operations, financial trails, and the identities of other members involved in the network.

Authorities did not rule out further arrests as the investigation deepens.