One iPhone led police to a gang that shipped 40,000 stolen phones from Britain to China
London police have carried out the largest phone theft operation in UK history, which began with a single stolen iPhone.
London police have carried out the largest phone theft operation in UK history, which began with a single stolen iPhone.
London police have dismantled an international gang suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China over the past year, the BBC reports .
“We dismantled criminal networks at all levels: from street thieves to international organized crime groups that exported tens of thousands of stolen devices every year,” said the head of the phone theft unit at the Metropolitan Police.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 18 suspects, including citizens of Afghanistan, India, and Bulgaria. The majority of them were women. More than 2,000 stolen devices were also recovered. Searches were conducted at 28 houses and apartments in London and Hertfordshire.
The investigation was launched after the victim tracked down her stolen iPhone last year
It happened on Christmas Eve. The victim tracked his stolen iPhone through a special service. It turned out that it was in a box among 894 other phones in a warehouse near Heathrow Airport.
Officers discovered that almost all of the phones had been stolen and in this particular case were being shipped to Hong Kong. Several more shipments were subsequently intercepted, and through forensic examination of the packages, officers identified the first two members of the gang.
The case sparked an investigation that exposed an international smuggling ring that police believe could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all phones stolen in London.
Previously, dev.ua told how an iPhone stolen in London traveled almost 10,000 km in two weeks and ended up in China .
Over 70% of all electronics smuggling in Ukraine is iPhones — EP
Over 70% of all electronics smuggling in Ukraine is iPhones — EP
"Apple" cargo worth UAH 2 million: border guards discover iPhone 17 contraband
"Apple" cargo worth UAH 2 million: border guards discover iPhone 17 contraband
On the day of the start of sales, an attempt was made to illegally import 20 iPhone 17s into Ukraine. The gadgets were seized by customs officers: photo
On the day of the start of sales, an attempt was made to illegally import 20 iPhone 17s into Ukraine. The gadgets were seized by customs officers: photo
Read the country's main IT news in our Telegram
Read the country's main IT news in our Telegram
