Illiterate woman arrested with over 2000 SIMs, 15 biometric machines & 18 phones in Bengal

A 24-year-old woman, Debolina Chakraborty, was arrested in North 24 Parganas, Bengal, for operating a large-scale SIM card scam. Chakraborty would travel to poor localities in Kolkata, set up a stall, and deceive residents into providing their personal details. She used this information to acquire SIM cards in their names, which were later sold to criminals for illegal activities. Police officials confirmed that this operation was ongoing for an extended period, with the woman targeting vulnerable communities.

During a raid at Chakraborty's home, authorities discovered a significant haul of illegal items. The police seized over 2,200 pre-activated SIM cards, 15 biometric machines, and 18 mobile phones. This discovery marks one of the largest SIM card recovery operations in Bengal. The cards were reportedly prepared for use in criminal enterprises, with the biometric machines used to fraudulently register the SIMs. The police operation also led to the arrest of Chakraborty’s husband, Anirban Saha, and her associate, Ripon Saha, who are believed to have assisted in the illegal trade.

The Kolkata Police’s Intelligence Department is actively investigating the full extent of the operation, including potential links to broader criminal networks. The authorities have expressed concern over the growing misuse of SIM cards for illegal activities and are taking steps to enhance surveillance and clamp down on similar scams in the future.