London police have dismantled a criminal gang suspected of smuggling around 40,000 stolen mobile phones to China, marking the largest operation against phone theft in the city to date. The raids over the past two weeks resulted in 46 arrests.
Authorities said the gang may be responsible for up to 40% of all phone thefts in London, a crime that has surged in recent years in major cities worldwide. Police attribute the rise to a lucrative international market and the use of fast e-bikes for quick getaways.
The investigation began last year when police intercepted a shipment at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport containing approximately 1,000 iPhones bound for Hong Kong. This discovery led to a wider probe that ultimately exposed the extensive smuggling network.
In a statement on Tuesday, police emphasized the significance of the operation in tackling organized crime and reducing the booming market for stolen devices abroad.
APPLE PHONES TARGETED FOR RESALE VALUE
The group specifically targeted Apple products because of their profitability overseas, police said, discovering they were paid up to 300 pounds ($403.02) per Apple phone, which could be sold for up to $5,000 in China.
"This is the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in the UK," police commander Andrew Featherstone said.
"We've dismantled criminal networks at every level, from street-level thieves to international organised crime groups exporting tens of thousands of stolen devices each year."
Of the dozens of arrests, eleven were made when officers targeted gangs robbing courier vans delivering the new iPhone 17, while two men in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of money laundering after 40,000 pounds in cash was found at a phone shop in north London.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said phone theft was happening on an "industrial scale" and urged phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung to take more measures to block the use of stolen phones.
"Criminals are making millions by repurposing stolen phones and selling them abroad, with many still able to access cloud services. It's simply too easy and too profitable," he said.
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London police have dismantled a criminal gang suspected of smuggling around 40,000 stolen mobile phones to China, marking the largest operation against phone theft in the city to date. The raids over the past two weeks resulted in 46 arrests.
Authorities said the gang may be responsible for up to 40% of all phone thefts in London, a crime that has surged in recent years in major cities worldwide. Police attribute the rise to a lucrative international market and the use of fast e-bikes for quick getaways.
The investigation began last year when police intercepted a shipment at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport containing approximately 1,000 iPhones bound for Hong Kong. This discovery led to a wider probe that ultimately exposed the extensive smuggling network.
In a statement on Tuesday, police emphasized the significance of the operation in tackling organized crime and reducing the booming market for stolen devices abroad.
APPLE PHONES TARGETED FOR RESALE VALUE
The group specifically targeted Apple products because of their profitability overseas, police said, discovering they were paid up to 300 pounds ($403.02) per Apple phone, which could be sold for up to $5,000 in China.
"This is the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in the UK," police commander Andrew Featherstone said.
"We've dismantled criminal networks at every level, from street-level thieves to international organised crime groups exporting tens of thousands of stolen devices each year."
Of the dozens of arrests, eleven were made when officers targeted gangs robbing courier vans delivering the new iPhone 17, while two men in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of money laundering after 40,000 pounds in cash was found at a phone shop in north London.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said phone theft was happening on an "industrial scale" and urged phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung to take more measures to block the use of stolen phones.
"Criminals are making millions by repurposing stolen phones and selling them abroad, with many still able to access cloud services. It's simply too easy and too profitable," he said.
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