RAB arrests alleged member of illegal VoIP network, seizes over 21,000 SIM cards and equipment
The arrested individual has been identified as Md Nazrul Islam, 38, a resident of Shahid Latif Road in Mollartek, Dakshinkhan
In a major crackdown on illegal VoIP operations, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) today (5 June) arrested one individual and seized over 21,000 unauthorised SIM cards and VoIP equipment from the capital's Dakshinkhan area.
The arrested individual has been identified as Md Nazrul Islam, 38, a resident of Shahid Latif Road in Mollartek, Dakshinkhan.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology that allows to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line.
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In a statement, RAB said acting on intelligence and with technical support from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC), a RAB-1 team raided a residence on Shahid Latif Road and uncovered a well-established illegal international call termination hub.
During the raid, RAB recovered a significant cache of illegal telecommunications equipment used for VoIP operations. This includes 09 units of 128-port SIM boxes, 05 units of 256-port SIM boxes, and 09 units of 512-port SIM boxes, indicating a large-scale setup capable of handling thousands of simultaneous calls. Authorities also seized one Dell laptop, one Lenovo notepad, and two Huawei smartphones, which were believed to be used for controlling and monitoring the illegal network.
In addition, the team confiscated several network devices, including two TP-Link 8-port switches, three TP-Link access routers, one Netgear switch, and one CDMA modem, all integral to the call routing process.
Most notably, RAB recovered a staggering 21,390 unauthorised SIM cards from multiple operators: 11,300 Teletalk, 8,100 Grameenphone, 990 Robi, 750 Banglalink, and 250 Airtel.
According to RAB, the seized equipment was being used to illegally route international calls to Bangladesh, bypassing official telecom gateways and depriving the government of substantial revenue.
The suspect was allegedly operating the business for the past six months, particularly in the Middle East.
RAB estimates that the operation handled over 100,000 minutes of international calls daily, generating hundreds of thousands of taka in illicit profits. The proceeds were allegedly transferred to Bangladesh through hundi channels, further contributing to the financial crime.
RAB stated that Nazrul Islam is a key player in an organised illegal VoIP network.
Legal proceedings against the arrested individual are currently underway, the statement added.
