Cyber crime: FIA arrests two, seizes 15,000 illegal SIM cards

The criminals used to activate SIM cards by stealing NADRA, ECP data.


Asad Kharal July 11, 2014

LAHORE:


The Cyber Crime Circle of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested two people dealing in unauthorised SIM cards, The Express Tribune has learnt.FIA Punjab Director Usman Anwar told The Express Tribune they had received information that Tahir Abbas, a resident of Green Cap Housing Society, was involved in the sale and purchase of unauthorised SIM cards.


He said FIA Cyber Crime Circle Assistant Director Samiur Rehman Jami arrested Abbas during a raid at his house and seized more than 15,000 SIM cards.

Anwar said Abbas told the FIA that Sheikh Qasim was his partner in the business. He said the agency had also arrested Qasim and recovered a haul of SIM cards from him. Abbas and Qasim had been activating SIM cards by accessing the National Database Registration Authority’s (NADRA) records and voter lists of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Anwar said the accused used to activate SIM cards using the stolen data.

They told the FIA they had obtained the records of computerised national identity cards from some NADRA officials by bribing them. They said some members of their network were operating in southern Punjab, including Bahawalpur and Multan.

The director said it appeared the accused had also been selling the SIM cards to criminals who used them in kidnappings for ransom and fake lottery schemes.

“It is difficult for police and other law enforcement agencies to trace the people using such SIM cards,” Anwar said.

He said a number of criminal cases remained unsolved and culprits could not be traced as they continued to change their cell phone numbers.  He said a case had been registered against Qasim and Abbas.  FIA Assistant Director Jamil Ahmad Khan had been tasked with investigating the matter, he said. Anwar said they would present the accused in court on Saturday (today) to obtain their physical remand.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2014.

COMMENTS (1)

Moiz Omar | 9 years ago | Reply Good job by the FIA.
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