Chinese-Linked SIM Box Scam Exposed in Gurugram, India

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A Chinese-Linked Cybercrime Ring Disrupted in India

A recent operation by the Cyber Crime Police Station East in Gurugram has led to the dismantling of a Chinese-linked cybercrime syndicate, resulting in the arrest of three key individuals.

Arrests and Investigation

The suspects, identified as Karma, Lobsang Tsultim, and Ngawang Gyaltshen, were taken into custody while attempting to flee to Kathmandu by bus from Delhi.

During the investigation, authorities seized a 20-port physical SIM box, a laptop, and multiple smartphones installed within the device. Preliminary findings indicate that the setup was capable of making over 20,000 calls per day, primarily used for perpetrating gaming scams, fake investment schemes, and other online frauds targeting Indian citizens.

Accused Individuals and Modus Operandi

The arrested individuals, aged 32, 33, and 35, respectively, were found to be operating under the instructions of a China-based handler known as Tsega. The foreign coordinator allegedly arranged the technical infrastructure and routed scam calls through India to evade detection.

According to investigators, the seized SIM box had been modified to house multiple smartphones, including devices from Redmi, enabling bulk automated calling. The syndicate relied on a customized APK application to route call traffic directly to Chinese cyber gangs. The accused were in constant communication with their overseas handler via WeChat, a platform banned in India since 2020.

International Connections and Financial Trails

Notably, two of the accused, Tsultim and Gyaltshen, were born in China and have been living in India as refugees for nearly 15 years. Both are fluent in Chinese and Taiwanese languages, skills that were allegedly exploited by the syndicate for coordinating operations and managing call traffic.

The accused were paid for installing and maintaining the SIM box infrastructure, while the actual fraud proceeds were routed abroad. Authorities are currently tracing financial trails, identifying additional accomplices, and mapping the wider international network linked to the racket.

Police Action and Awareness Drives

The three accused have been taken into police remand for further questioning and subsequently sent to judicial custody. Efforts are underway to identify other individuals involved in logistics, SIM procurement, and money laundering.

“The investigation is focused on establishing the full scale of the operation, including the number of victims and the total amount siphoned off overseas. Such SIM box-based fraud networks pose a serious threat to digital security, and strict action will continue,” officials stated.

Police have urged residents to report suspicious calls immediately and avoid sharing personal or banking details with unknown callers, reiterating that cyber syndicates are increasingly using local infrastructure to mask international scams.