Hyderabad: Mancherial Police bust SIM box racket operating from Cambodia; 4 held, SIM cards seized

Mancherial: Mancherial Police busted a sophisticated SIM box racket in Jannaram Mandal.

Police launched the operation after receiving a tip-off from the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) and the Department of Telecommunications.

The illegal setup, allegedly connected to a kingpin based in Cambodia, was being used to make spoofed international calls to extort money from unsuspecting victims.

SIM box setup uncovered

The operation came to light after cyber intelligence agencies flagged suspicious telecom activity originating from Jannaram. A joint effort by TGCSB and Mancherial police led to the raid of a rented house where the SIM box equipment was installed.

SIM boxes are often used in cybercrime to reroute international calls, making them appear as local, thus concealing their true origin. During the operation, authorities seized hundreds of SIM cards, multiple laptops, tech gadgets, and a motorcycle used in the illegal activity.

Four arrested for running local operation

The arrested individuals were identified as Yandrapu Kamesh from Manyam district, Andhra Pradesh, Bavu Bapaiah and Bavu Madhukar from Gollapelli mandal, Jagtial district, and Gotla Rajesh from Kishtapur, Jannaram mandal.

According to DCP A Bhaskar, the group operated under the instructions of one Jack alias Sai Krishna, a native of Khammam currently residing in Cambodia.

Spoof calls, threats, and extortion

During questioning, the accused confessed to using the SIM box setup to make spoofed international calls, through which they threatened individuals and extorted money. Bapaiah, believed to be the local coordinator, admitted to receiving instructions and funding from Jack for procuring the necessary technology and running the operations.

Kamesh revealed he had turned to cybercrime after losing ₹13 lakh in online betting. He was responsible for sourcing over 150 SIM cards without proper documentation—many of which were used to execute scam calls. The remaining accused acted as support staff and were reportedly paid monthly salaries by Jack for their roles.

International Cybercrime angle under probe

DCP Bhaskar confirmed that the Cambodia connection is under active investigation. “This is not just a local racket. The involvement of foreign handlers indicates a wider international cybercrime network. Efforts are on to trace further links and apprehend those operating from abroad,” he said.

Authorities are now working with national and international cybercrime agencies to track digital trails, financial transactions, and call logs to map the full extent of the operation.

Police advisory

Citizens are urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious calls, especially those that appear to be from international numbers masked as local, as part of broader efforts to curb such transnational cyber fraud.