London Police Bust Major Mobile Phone Theft Ring

London police have disbanded a significant criminal gang responsible for smuggling 40,000 stolen mobile phones to China. This operation, which led to 46 arrests, is London's largest crackdown on phone theft. Discovering the gang's focus on Apple products, investigators linked it to 40% of London's phone thefts.

London police have conducted a successful operation against a criminal gang suspected of smuggling 40,000 stolen mobile phones to China. This crucial intervention has led to the arrest of 46 individuals, marking London's largest crackdown on phone theft to date. The gang is believed to be responsible for about 40% of all mobile phone thefts in the city, which aligns with a global trend of increasing device thefts driven by a lucrative international market.

The investigation began last year when authorities found a box containing approximately 1,000 iPhones near Heathrow Airport, destined for Hong Kong. The gang targeted Apple products for their high resale value, with stolen phones fetching up to 300 pounds each within the UK and as much as $5,000 in China.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasized the severity of phone theft and called for manufacturers to implement more stringent security measures against the misuse of stolen devices. The operation also uncovered 40,000 pounds in cash, leading to additional money laundering charges against two individuals in north London.

(With inputs from agencies.)