The Police today detained 14 persons on charges of circulating illegal mobile SIM cards to subscribers through fake and forged documents.
Those detained included SIM card retailers of various mobile network service providers, the police said.
"Those detained were mostly circulating pre-activated SIMs without adhering to legitimate procedures. Against forged documents and proof of identity, the SIM cards were being sold out in the market, posing law and order threat," said Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar Gajaviye.
A special squad constituted for the purpose detected the nefarious practice after conducting a series of raids in the township and its outskirts, the SP said.
The mobile service providers usually hand out a number of SIM cards to a private dealer, who in turn has to sell them after collecting the required documentation.
The dealers were disposing them off without proper documents, the SP said adding, in the face of competition from rival traders, the dealers were found throwing norms to the wind.
"The detained persons were being interrogated and we are hopeful of making further arrest in this connection," Gajaviye added.
