The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone team, along with the Bandlaguda police, busted an international smartphone smuggling and snatching gang. They arrested 17 people, including five Sudanese nationals. The police confiscated 703 smartphones worth Rs 1.75 crore and a bike from the suspects.
The city has seen an increase in mobile phone snatchings and thefts. To address this issue, the police conducted a thorough investigation. They discovered a criminal network operating in the city involving phone snatchers, receivers of stolen goods, and traders who transport the phones out of the country to sell them for profit.
Stolen phones are often dismantled in markets, and their components are used as replacement parts. The arrested individuals were involved in various criminal activities related to smartphone theft and smuggling.
The police found that some of the accused were selling stolen smartphones at low prices to others who then exported them illegally to Sudan for resale. Foreign nationals engaging in illegal activities will face appropriate legal action.
One of the accused operated a mobile repair shop where stolen iPhones were used for repairs to make illegal profits. Several cases were detected in different police station limits, leading to the apprehension of the suspects and the recovery of the stolen smartphones. The investigation is ongoing.
