In a significant crackdown, the Delhi Police has successfully dismantled an international smuggling operation that was trafficking stolen high-end mobile phones to Bangladesh. In a separate but related public initiative, the force also returned more than 1,000 lost mobile phones to their rightful owners.
Four Arrested in Cross-Border Smuggling Bust
A team from the Central District apprehended four individuals and seized 116 high-end stolen or snatched mobile phones. The police revealed that the accused were involved in illegally unlocking these devices before routing them to Bangladesh through Kolkata.
The arrested men have been identified as Sameer (28), Salman (28), Dilshad Yasin Kureshi (33), and Ayaan (28). According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan, the gang sourced expensive phones that had been stolen or snatched from various districts across the national capital.
Sameer is alleged to be the mastermind of the operation, charging up to Rs 1,500 per handset for bypassing security features like Factory Reset Protection (FRP). Intriguingly, the specialized tools used for this unlocking process were also sourced from Bangladesh. The police confirmed that a total of 42 individual cases of snatching and theft were solved with these arrests.
Operation Vishwas: Restoring Trust with 1000+ Returns
In a heartening ceremony held in East of Kailash on Tuesday, the Delhi Police demonstrated its commitment to public service by returning over 1,000 lost mobile phones to citizens. This massive effort was part of Operation Vishwas.
To accomplish this, more than 70 dedicated police teams were deployed to track down the owners of the recovered devices. The event was not just about returning property but also about building awareness. It included a large-scale cyber safety campaign focusing on the growing threat of online fraud and the importance of using the government's Sanchar Saathi portal to block and trace lost phones.
Public Vigilance and Cyber Safety Emphasized
Senior police officials used the occasion to urge citizens to remain vigilant. Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) SK Jain encouraged residents to promptly report any suspicious activities to their nearest police station. The emphasis was on a collaborative approach to combat crime.
The dual actions of the Delhi Police—busting a sophisticated international racket and successfully returning a vast number of lost items—highlight a two-pronged strategy: aggressive enforcement against organized crime and citizen-centric initiatives to build public trust and safety.
