Hyderabad: The stolen phones from Hyderabad are reaching neighboring Nepal, the clandestine network of the criminals are facilitating the smuggling. The dealers in other States and some persons from Bangladesh and Nepal come to the local markets to buy the cell phones and smuggle them out of India.
As part of the criminal network, the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of the stolen mobile is tampered with before they are smuggled out of the country.
The police investigation into crime network revealed that the international smugglers frequently visit West Bengal to purchase stolen mobile phones. A few dealers visit Mumbai too, from where they purchased these cell phones.
The specialized IT cell of Telangana police continuously keeps tracking stolen mobile phones in the State since the mobile phones that were misplaced by owners are tracked and handed back to them. But those mobile phones which are stolen by professionals are hard to trace.
Mobile phones are usually stolen by pickpockets in trains, buses, crowded places, during processions and events.
“There are small thieves who report to their gang leaders. The leaders are in touch with persons who purchase stolen items and deal with them directly,” officials said.
Now the police, however, are focusing on arresting the receivers (those who purchase stolen goods) said a police official.
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