Cybercrime police uncover two more SIM box farms in Tamil Nadu

Cybercrime investigators in Bengaluru have identified two additional SIM box farms located in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts. This development follows a technical probe into an inter-State SIM box network, which was initially discovered in Bengaluru last week.

The breakthrough came after officials of the Cyber Command Unit seized 10 eSIM-enabled SIM box devices from two locations in Bengaluru, Kadugodi and Pattandur Agrahara. The same accused network was found to be responsible for operating these devices, which had a combined capacity of 320 SIM connections.

Following the seizure, a comprehensive technical analysis was conducted on the electronic devices, telecommunications records, and digital evidence to determine if the network's operations extended beyond Bengaluru. This analysis revealed leads pointing towards the presence of two extra SIM box farm sites in Tamil Nadu.

The information obtained from the analysis was shared with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), leading to the discovery of these two additional SIM box farms in Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur. The investigation now aims to trace the entire operational chain of the network across the country, including the procurement and deployment of SIM box and farm devices, the usage of SIM cards and eSIM profiles, and the telecommunications infrastructure involved.

The police are also working to establish connections between the Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu locations, identify overseas handlers and their local facilitators, and uncover any additional sites or infrastructure connected to the network. Bengaluru's Director General of Police, Cyber Command Pronab Mohanty, emphasized that the investigation aims to uncover the wider network and trace its operational links.