Background and Timeline: Jodhpur Police, under the direct supervision of Commissioner Om Prakash Paswan, dismantled one of India’s largest international cyber fraud rackets in late January 2026. The investigation was triggered by a nationwide surge in investment scams and has since been expanded to include Jaipur Police. Over the past twelve months, technical surveillance identified a massive pool of Indian mobile numbers roaming overseas, revealing a systematic pipeline for illicit telecommunications resources.
Modus Operandi: The syndicate utilized a “Roaming SIM Trap” to bypass traditional security filters, smuggling exactly 5,378 illegally activated Indian SIM cards to Cambodia. These cards were procured in bulk using stolen identities or by exploiting point-of-sale loopholes where multiple cards were registered to a single unsuspecting citizen. Once in Cambodia, the SIMs were used in fake call centers to target Indians with stock market scams, making the calls appear domestic and lowering the victims’ guard.
Victims and Financial Impact: The syndicate successfully defrauded victims across India of more than ₹1,102 crore, with Maharashtra residents alone suffering losses of approximately ₹224 crore. Data revealed that 1,132 of the fake SIMs originated from Maharashtra, while another 756 were issued in Tamil Nadu. The financial impact is linked to thousands of retail investors who were persuaded to transfer funds into accounts that were abruptly blocked once the money was received.
Investigation and Agencies Involved: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed at the commissionerate level to conduct a deeper probe into the syndicate’s domestic and international links. The probe utilized technical analysis of 2.30 lakh SIM cards with critical assistance from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Rajasthan Police have also issued Look Out Circulars against Malaysian nationals suspected of providing the high-level technical backend for the Cambodian scam compounds.
Arrests and Suspects: Jodhpur Police have arrested six individuals for the bulk sale and distribution of these SIM cards. In a related strike titled “Operation Cyber Mukti,” Kotputli-Behror Police arrested 25 accused, including a prime regional broker named Suresh Kumar Sain. Suresh Sain, a school dropout who had fled to Cambodia, was apprehended at IGI Airport in New Delhi upon his return, carrying Cambodian employment cards and international bank assets.
Broader Implications and Trends: The case unmasked a chilling human trafficking component where young men from Rajasthan were lured abroad with job promises, only to be held as “cyber slaves” in Cambodia. These trafficked victims were forced to work in call centers run by Chinese cyber gangs, targeting their own countrymen using fluency in Indian regional languages. This operation serves as a national wake-up call regarding the urgent need for tougher SIM card issuance norms to protect public trust.