Hyderabad Police arrest two with 184 illegal SIM cards
HYDERABAD: The Special Crime Team of the Central Crime Station (CCS), Hyderabad City, arrested two men on January 17, 2026, for possessing 184 illegally activated SIM cards and four mobile phones.
Illegally activated SIMs seized
Police said the accused were found with 150 Airtel SIM cards and 34 Reliance Jio SIM cards. The arrests were made following specific information, and the accused were taken into custody by the Special Crime Team under the CCS.
KYC details misused, police say
According to police, the accused were running a SIM distribution centre in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh. They allegedly activated new Airtel SIM cards in the names of customers who visited their outlet to buy Vodafone-Idea SIM cards, without the customers’ knowledge.
Investigators said the accused misused customers’ KYC documents and fingerprints to activate the SIM cards. They later brought the illegally activated SIMs to Hyderabad to sell them at high prices.
Accused handed over to Nampally police
The operation was carried out by inspector D Bikshapathi of the Special Crime Team along with his staff, under the supervision of ACP G Venkateswar Reddy. The accused were handed over to Nampally Police Station for further action.
Police advised citizens to remain cautious while purchasing new SIM cards or updating KYC details, and to do so only at authorised network stores and centres.
