Kolkata, March 18 The Kolkata Police have dismantled an organized cyber fraud network operating illegal 'SIM box' devices to impersonate law enforcement officials, an officer said on Wednesday.
A 'SIM box' is a telecom device used to illegally route international calls, making them appear as domestic calls. Criminals operating abroad often use these systems to impersonate Indian law enforcement agencies in 'Digital Arrest' cases, police said.
The accused in this case allegedly extorted Rs 3.01 crore from a retired engineer, a resident of the Parnasree area in Kolkata, the officer said, adding that they impersonated CBI officials and threatened arrest, coercing him into transferring the sum.
Two accused in the case have been arrested in the state, one in February and another on Wednesday, he said.
"Through technical analysis, we traced the fraudulent calls to an organized SIM box setup, which the gang used to disguise international calls as domestic ones," the officer said.
"This not only facilitated impersonation scams, but also caused revenue loss to telecom operators," he said.
During raids to apprehend the accused, the police recovered several 'SIM box' devices, SIM cards, mobile phones, routers, and other accessories.
"Efforts are ongoing to trace crypto transactions, courier links, and the SIM supply chain to identify and apprehend other associates involved. We are also analysing connections to similar cases across India," the officer said.