Chinese-Linked SIM Box Scam Exposed in Gurugram, India

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Cybercrime Unit Dismantles Chinese-Linked SIM Box Operation in Gurugram

A recent crackdown by the Cyber Crime Police Station East in Gurugram has led to the dismantling of a Chinese-linked cyber fraud syndicate, resulting in the arrest of three key operatives.

Arrest and Investigation

The accused were providing calling support to overseas scammers from India, using a sophisticated SIM box setup to place thousands of calls daily.

The arrested individuals, identified as Karma, Lobsang Tsultim, and Ngawang Gyaltshen, were apprehended in Delhi while attempting to flee to Kathmandu.

A search of their belongings yielded a 20-port physical SIM box, a laptop, and multiple smartphones installed inside the device.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the setup was capable of making over 20,000 calls per day, primarily used for gaming scams, fake investment schemes, and other online frauds targeting Indian citizens.

According to investigators, the trio had jointly installed a virtual SIM box in Gurugram, enabling foreign cybercriminals to place calls that appeared to originate from Indian numbers, increasing the chances of duping victims.

The operation was allegedly being run on the instructions of a China-based handler, identified as Tsega, who arranged technical infrastructure and routed scam calls through India to avoid detection.

The seized SIM box had been re-engineered to house multiple smartphones, including devices from Redmi, allowing for bulk automated calling.

The syndicate relied on a customized APK application that routed call traffic directly to Chinese cyber gangs.

The accused were in constant touch with their overseas handler via WeChat, a platform banned in India since 2020.

Accused and Their Role

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.

Police sources revealed that the accused were paid for installing and maintaining the SIM box infrastructure, while the actual fraud proceeds were routed abroad.

Investigation and Action

Investigators are now tracing financial trails, identifying additional accomplices, and mapping the wider international network linked to the racket.

The three accused were produced before a court and taken on police remand for further questioning.

After completion of remand, they were sent to judicial custody.

Authorities are working 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 said.

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.