Delhi police bust gang smuggling stolen phones to Bangladesh

DCP Valsan said that the arrests followed investigation into a phone snatching case filed at Patel Nagar police station on the complaint of a woman who alleged that two men snatched her phone on December 18 in West Patel Nagar.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday, arrested four members including the mastermind of an organised syndicate involved in stealing mobile phones, and smuggling them to Bangladesh, said police, adding that around 116 stolen cellphones were recovered from them.

Police said that the gang used to tamper with the security features of the stolen phones. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police said that the gang used to tamper with the security features of the stolen phones.

“The gang members used to send deceptive messages to the owners of the stolen iPhones to unlawfully remove iCloud IDs. The 28-year-old mastermind, Sameer alias Rahul, charged up to ₹15,00 per mobile phone to illegally unlock it for his client,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (central) Nidhin Vansal, adding that 42 cases of mobile phone snatching and theft were solved following the arrests.

DCP Valsan said that the arrests followed investigation into a phone snatching case filed at Patel Nagar police station on the complaint of a woman who alleged that two scooter-borne men snatched her phone on December 18 in West Patel Nagar.

“Sameer revealed that he had been purchasing stolen iPhones and android phones and illegally unlocking their security locks using technical software and tools, including 3u Tools, Unlock Tools, and other mobile unlocking software sourced from Bangladesh. Salman’s other associates Aayan, 28, and Dilshad Yasin Qureshi, 33 supplied stolen phones to him. After unlocking the devices, Sameer returned them to his associates, who thereafter arranged for their transportation through middlemen to Bangladesh for illegal monetary gain,” said DCP Valsan.

“Once the iCloud security was removed and the device unlocked, the mobile phones were sold at a higher price,” said Valsan, adding that interrogation of Sameer and Salman led to the arrest of Aayan and Qureshi and recovery of 116 stolen phones.