Hyderabad, May 20: In a significant crackdown on rising cybercrime, the Hyderabad police have exposed a Ghost SIM network. Under “Operation Octopus 3.0,” they conducted raids across 13 states, resulting in the arrest of 66 individuals. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar announced the details of this extensive operation on Wednesday.
According to police reports, the Cyber Crime Police Station (CCPS) in Hyderabad identified 1,194 Ghost SIMs linked to various cybercrime cases. To dismantle this network, 18 specialized teams were deployed for a week-long operation across the states.
During the operation, 544 SIM cards were seized from Hyderabad alone. Among these, 432 were sealed and not yet activated for cybercriminal activities.
Commissioner Sajjanar noted that previous operations, such as “Operation Octopus 1.0,” targeted mule account holders, while “Operation Octopus 2.0” focused on bank officials aiding cyber fraud. Now, “Operation Octopus 3.0” aims to dismantle the Ghost SIM network that provides a cover for organized cybercriminals nationwide.
Ghost SIMs are mobile connections fraudulently activated in the names of unsuspecting individuals. Cybercriminals use these SIM cards to conceal their true identities.
Among the arrested individuals, 44 were Ghost SIM holders, 20 were POS agents and telecom promoters, and two were Ghost SIM suppliers. The arrested POS agents included 10 from Vodafone Idea, 7 from Airtel, and 3 from Jio.
Investigations revealed that some POS agents activated additional SIMs in customers’ names without their knowledge during the mobile number portability (MNP) e-KYC process. These SIMs were later converted to e-SIMs and sent abroad for use in cyber fraud.
Moreover, agents lured individuals with low digital literacy by offering free SIM activations, acquiring SIMs in their names, and supplying them to cyber fraud networks for a commission. In several instances, customers were paid to surrender their SIM cards.
The investigation also uncovered that agents collected OTPs to create fake profiles on WhatsApp, social media, dating, and matrimonial platforms. Camps were set up in villages under the guise of free SIM distribution, exploiting the Aadhar cards of uneducated individuals.
According to police, the 66 arrested individuals are linked to 76 registered cybercrime cases across the country, involving fraud amounting to approximately ₹1,018.7 million.
Sajjanar stated that this operation is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the entire ecosystem that promotes cybercrime. For the past six months, the Hyderabad police have been holding meetings with banking and regulatory institutions to establish stronger systems to combat cyber fraud.
The Hyderabad police will now hold special meetings with senior officials from telecom companies like Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea. Additionally, they will coordinate with the Department of Telecommunications, TRAI, and other agencies to strengthen the KYC process and make it more challenging for cybercriminals to acquire Ghost SIMs.
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