Meerut Police Nabbed Illegal International Call Networks and Shut Them Down
Meerut Police Nabbed Illegal International Call Networks and Shut Them Down
“The Meerut police have done an amazing job this month by nabbing a group running illegal international call networks from an ordinary building.”
A phony phone exchange that was operating out of a seemingly normal building was taken down by Meerut police and the local cybercrime team in a spectacular cybercrime operation. Officials disclosed that the network was circumventing legal standards by using covert VOIP connections to transport international calls into India.
Young men between the ages of 19 and 25 made up the majority of operators; one had only completed the sixth grade. Despite having no formal education, they used YouTube tutorials and the internet to develop a system that not only broke telecom regulations but also cost the government crores of rupees.
How did the Raid take place, and what Evidence was gathered?
After receiving a tip from the telecom department, the operation was launched. The Special Task Force (STF) and cybercrime authorities raided an apartment close to Navisa Masjid in response to this tip.
The team recovered:
- 32-sim slot dialers,
- SIM boxes,
- Routers,
- Telephones,
- Power Mobiles, and
- 22 Active SIM Cards.
Six individuals were arrested, including:
- Qasim,
- Mohammad Nisauuddin,
- Mohammad Wahid,
- Hashin, Sarfaraz, and
- Mohammad Imran.
According to police, the network changed international calls to local ones, which made it more challenging for security authorities to follow calls and collect income.
Mastermind and Crypto Relationships
When questioned, it was discovered that Qasim, 19, was the operation’s mastermind. He acknowledged using YouTube tutorials to learn the system.
Qasim, Cybercriminal
| “We collected cryptocurrency payments and used VoIP to transfer international calls.” |
Given how notoriously difficult it is to trace cryptocurrency transactions, this revelation hindered investigations. The network’s ramifications go beyond financial theft, officials cautioned, and there may be national security risks.
India’s Digital Crime
The swift development of telecom fraud and cybercrime in India is highlighted by the Meerut case. Experts caution that young people who are technically inquisitive but not very educated are using the internet to start intricate criminal schemes.
Prof. Triveni Singh, Cybercrime Expert
| “The problem of phony phone conversations extends beyond lost money. They can be used for terrorist, hawala, or espionage purposes and present significant risks to national security.” |
Authorities are looking into potential connections to international network providers and are still looking for more suspects.
About The Author
Suraj Koli is a content specialist in technical writing about cybersecurity & information security. He has written many amazing articles related to cybersecurity concepts, with the latest trends in cyber awareness and ethical hacking. Find out more about “Him.”
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