IGIA police team uncovers scam: Activated Indian SIM cards smuggled to Vietnam
NEW DELHI: The IGI Airport police team have uncovered a significant scam involving the smuggling of activated Indian SIM cards to Vietnam. Investigations reveal that the SIM cards, issued under the names of unsuspecting labourers for nominal sums, were sold to individuals in Delhi and then sent via courier to Vietnam. Once in Vietnam, the activated SIM cards were used for gaming apps and to artificially boost likes and followers on social media platforms, officials disclosed on Sunday.
The accused individuals involved in the scam have been identified as Mukul Kumar (22), Hemant (26), Kanhaiya Gupta (29), and Anil Kumar (20), who were nabbed from Agra and Delhi. They operated as part of a syndicate that profited from the illegal sale of SIM cards.
Usha Rangnani, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) at IGI Airport, stated the accused received payments through a Chinese cryptocurrency app called Binance, which has recently been banned in India due to its association with illicit activities like money laundering. The investigation was triggered when a shipment containing 500 SIM cards, concealed within a diary, was intercepted at the FedEx Courier’s IGI Cargo Terminal. Subsequent inquiries led to the filing of a case under Section 420 IPC at PS IGI Airport, Delhi.
Inspector Vijender Rana led a dedicated team assigned to investigate the case. Through the inquiry, it came to light that the SIM cards were issued in the names of individuals residing in and around the Loha Mandi area of Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The accused, Mukul Kumar, lured unsuspecting individuals, predominantly daily wage labourers, into obtaining SIM cards in their names by promising them a mere Rs 200 each, as mentioned by Rangnani.
Further investigations revealed that Mukul Kumar sold these SIM cards to Kanhaiya and Hemant in Agra for Rs 300 each, who subsequently sold them to Anil Kumar in Delhi for Rs 500 each. Anil Kumar, in communication with individuals from Vietnam via the Telegram app, supplied the activated SIM cards to Vietnam, making a profit of Rs 1300 each. Additionally, Anil Kumar admitted to engaging in cryptocurrency trading on the banned Binance app,as confirmed by DCP Usha Rangnani.
An additional 200 SIM cards, along with various cheque books and debit cards, were seized from Anil Kumar’s possession. Further examination of the accused’s bank accounts and their potential involvement in other similar cases is underway.
As the case unfolds, authorities are intensifying efforts to dismantle such illicit operations and safeguard the integrity of telecommunications systems, particularly in regards to international transactions involving sensitive personal data, added Rangnani.
