The Centre has told the Supreme Court of India that 44 illegal telecom centres have been dismantled over the past two years, as part of a wider crackdown on organised digital fraud and unauthorised communication networks.

The action is part of an ongoing effort to curb cybercrime, including spoof calls and financial scams linked to rogue telecom setups.

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Crackdown Targets Illegal Telecom Infrastructure

According to government reports, enforcement agencies have intensified surveillance and action against unauthorised telecom operations across multiple states.

These centres were allegedly used to route illegal international calls, bypass regulatory systems and facilitate cyber fraud.

“Coordinated action involving the Department of Telecommunications, law enforcement agencies and intelligence units led to the dismantling of these setups.”

-said, government officials

They further flagged that such illegal exchanges are often related to financial fraud networks, including phishing and impersonation scams. Authorities have increased monitoring of suspicious telecom traffic patterns and pushed compliance checks for licensed operators. The aim is to prevent misuse of telecom infrastructure and ensure traceability of communication channels.

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Focus on Cyber Fraud, Compliance Tightening

The Centre indicated that efforts are being scaled up to address emerging threats in the digital ecosystem. Illegal telecom centres are seen as key enablers of cross-border fraud, particularly targeting Indian users via spoofed numbers.

The court was informed that steps are being taken to strengthen regulatory enforcement and improve coordination between telecom service providers and security agencies.

Officials noted that it includes stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, real-time monitoring and faster response mechanisms to flag suspicious activity.

The government also underlined the need for continued vigilance as cybercriminals adopt new methods to avoid detection. The crackdown continues, with more enforcement actions likely in the future.