HYDERABAD: Acting on a tip-off from the counter intelligence unit of the Telangana police, teams of the Commissioner’s Task Force raided three places in the city and caught seven persons involved in running an illegal telephone exchange.
Counter intelligence units generally keep tabs on terror related activities in the state. Apart from keeping surveillance on suspects involved in terror related cases the unit is now focusing on technical and financial platforms aiding terror activities.
In the past, the teams were successful in generating intelligence about the smuggling of foreign currency, illegally run VoIP networks, gold smuggling and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). Through technical surveillance the police have also been able to apprehend those attracted to ISIS ideology.
The tracking of illegal telephone networks has become more necessary after terror suspects were found using them for communication.
“In this particular case, the calls were originating from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries,” said a police official.
Calls coming through international telecom service providers must be routed through licensed telecom service providers in India. However, the racketeers use their own equipment and route it through illegal gateways.
Since the gateways cannot be intercepted by security agencies, it also poses a national security threat.
