1 week ago
130
Smartphones stolen from the bylanes of Hyderabad are being sold for higher rates in Sudan via Jagdish Market, located in Abids, revealed the city police officials.
The elaborate racket was unearthed by the South Zone Task Force team of Hyderabad, along with the Bandlaguda police, who nabbed 17 people, including five Sudanese nationals, and seized 703 high-end smartphones from them.
In recent days, Hyderabad has seen a spate of mobile phone snatchings and thefts across the city commissionerate jurisdiction, said Commissioner of Hyderabad K. Sreenivasa Reddy, adding that a thorough investigation was undertaken to understand the pattern of these offences.
“During the probe, it was discovered that a major criminal network has been operating in the city involving cell phone snatchers, host of receivers of these stolen goods and also traders, both national and international, who are in the business of unlawful transport of these cell phones out of the country to sell them for illegal profits,” said the official.
It was also revealed that several stolen cell phones were being dismantled in niche markets and components such as mobile screens, cameras, speakers are subsequently being used as replacement parts for existing damaged mobiles received from customers at a fraction of price in comparison to original company rates.
The arrested accused were identified as Mohd Muzammil, 19, Syed Abrar, 19, Syed Saleem, 21, Pathan Rabbani Khan, 34, Mohd Athar, 32, Mohd Zakir, 35, Shaik Azhar, 31, Mohd Khaja Nizamuddin, 49, Syed Layeeq, 32, Shaik Azhar Moinuddin, 32, Mohd Shafi, 28, and J. Yalamanda Reddy, 44.
Meanwhile, the five Sudanese nationals were identified as Khalid Abdelbagi Mohamed Albadwi , 36, Abdalelah Ahmed Osman Babiker, 36, Aymn Mohammed Salih Abdalla, 34, Anas Siddig Abdelgader Ahmed, 24, and Omer Abdalla Eltayeb Mohamed, 27.
“Muzammil and Syed Abrar had planned to snatch phones from victims on the road during late night hours in isolated areas. They also stole a motorcycle on January 4 to use it in committing offences. So far, they targeted victims from Bandlaguda, Falaknuma, Bahadurpura, Mangalhat and Hayathnagar. They would then sell the stolen smartphones to one Mohd Saleem. From this lead, other receivers and dealers of stolen property were also apprehended,” said the official.
He further explained that Mohd Shafi has shops in Jagdish Market, where these phones are being purchased at low prices by Sudanese national Khalid Abdelbagi Mohamed Albadwi and his associates and the same are being exported illegally via sea route to Sudan, where they were re-selling these mobile phones for a huge profit.
“Necessary legal action shall be taken up against the foreign nationals for indulging in illegal activities. It was also revealed that a mobile repair shop was being run at Jagdish Market wherein Yelamanda Reddy was receiving stolen iPhones and using its parts for repairing the ones of the customers and earning huge profits illegally,” added the official.
