City Police Arrest Two in Major Cyber Fraud Crackdown

In a significant operation against cyber fraud, the Mangaluru city police have arrested two individuals involved in collecting SIM cards for foreign cybercriminals. The arrested individuals, Shamadh Muhammad Samar (26) and Muhammad Azeem (19), both from Beltangady, were found in possession of 86 Airtel SIM cards, two mobile phones, a Swift car, and assets valued at Rs 5,49,300.

Shamadh, a BBA student residing in Mangaluru, and Muhammad Azeem, who was also staying in a rented house, had reportedly been procuring SIM cards from friends and acquaintances by offering them small sums of money. This activity was allegedly conducted under the instructions of two other individuals, Mustafa from Beltangady and Sajid from Madanthyar.

The accused have been engaged in this illegal operation since January, during which time they collected and sent between 400 and 500 SIM cards abroad. These SIM cards were bought for Rs 200 to Rs 300 each and then handed over to Mustafa and Sajid, who are believed to be part of a larger network.

Foreign cybercriminals, particularly in Dubai and other countries, use Indian SIM cards to defraud Indian citizens. The use of Indian SIM cards helps them gain the trust of victims more easily, making their schemes more effective.

This recent arrest follows a similar case in February, where Dharmasthala police apprehended five individuals and seized 42 SIM cards. The police suspect a connection between the two cases and are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of this cyber fraud network.

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