Hyderabad: 17, including five Sudanese, held for phone snatching, international smuggling

Hyderabad: Hyderabad City Police, in collaboration with the Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone Team, and Bandlaguda Police, have dismantled an international smartphone smuggling and snatching syndicate, resulting in the apprehension of 17 individuals, including five Sudanese nationals. The total worth of the phones seized is around Rs 1.75 crores.

The crackdown comes in response to a surge in mobile phone snatchings and thefts across Hyderabad city. Following a comprehensive investigation, authorities uncovered a sophisticated criminal network involved in cell phone snatching, the reception of stolen goods, and illegal trading on both national and international scales.

According to K Sreenivasa Reddy, IPS, commissioner of police, Hyderabad City, “The seized property, totalling Rs 1.75 crores, includes 703 smartphones and one Bajaj Pulser.”

Phones stolen in Hyderabad sold in Sudan

The accused individuals hail from various backgrounds, including marriage mandap decoration work, car driving, bike mechanics, and business ventures. Their collaboration facilitated the systematic snatching and smuggling operations across different police station jurisdictions.

Mohd Muzammil alias Mujju and Syed Abrar, two Hyderabad natives, orchestrated late-night snatchings by terrorising passersby in isolated areas using a stolen motorcycle. The stolen phones were then sold to Mohd Saleem, acting as a receiver, to turn illicit profits.

Further investigation revealed a more extensive network involving dealers and exporters, including Sudanese nationals residing in Hyderabad. These individuals facilitated the illegal exportation of stolen phones via sea routes to Sudan, where they were sold at inflated prices for substantial profits. The police seized the phones from a shop in Jagdish market, Abids, where they stacked all the phones.

Commissioner Reddy emphasised the serious consequences of such criminal activities, stating, “Necessary legal action shall be taken against the foreign nationals for indulging in illegal activities.”

Previous criminal records of several accused individuals underscore the organised nature of the syndicate, with multiple instances of theft and involvement in similar illegal activities.

Smartphones, comprising various brands such as Apple iPhone, Samsung, Vivo, RedMi, RealMe, OnePlus, Oppo and POCO were seized.