Ahmedabad Cyber Crime has uncovered a major international SIM-card racket while investigating a ₹25-lakh ‘digital arrest’ scam targeting a senior citizen. A simple WhatsApp number trace led police to a network that supplied Indian SIM cards to illegal call centres operating in Dubai.
Mastermind Vijay Rawal, an Airtel agent, allegedly issued SIM cards using fake or misused documents. His associates Shubham Paradiya and Kiran Thakkar collected and shipped the SIM cards to Dubai, while Kuldeep Joshi, who worked in illegal betting call centres there, transported SIMs during trips to Gujarat.
Over the past two years, the group sent more than 1,000 SIM cards abroad. Dubai-based operators Bhavesh Joshi alias Laden and Kanu Varahi reportedly paid ₹1,500 per SIM, while local agents paid labourers and unsuspecting customers ₹500–700 for their documents.
These SIMs were used for cyber fraud, betting, and online gaming operations across several foreign call centres. Police are now working to track down the two Dubai-based suspects.