A gang of 9 people has been arrested by Shafeeq Abad police that was involved in changing of IMEI numbers of the stolen or snatched phones. The gang was selling these phones in local market after changing their IMEIs.

The culprits were using flashing devices to change the IMEI number of phones which were also recovered by police. It should be noted that every phone has its own IMEI number which is used to block stolen phones.

The police also arrested a person named Akhtar from Hall Road who was involved in supply of the software used to change the IMEI number.

An engineer was also a member of this gang who erase all data from stolen mobile phones. The IMEI number was changed by this gang for just Rs. 500. The process makes the phones untraceable and can be used again.

This trend is really alarming as criminals and terrorists can use these phones for their evil purposes as they can’t be traced by their phones.

In the start of this year, CPLC and Karachi Electronics Dealers Association made a new strategy to stop the selling of stolen phones in the market. For this purpose, shop keepers were asked to film a form of their purchased phone which also include the IMEI number of the phone. These details were verifiable through CPLC helpline 1102 through which stolen phones can be identified. But this new strategy of change in IMEI number will make this process useless.

Strict action has to be taken by FIA to ensure safety of phones and eradication of theft of mobile phones.