KARACHI: Pakistani law enforcement officials have revealed a concerning trend of stolen or snatched iPhones from Pakistan being resold after being reset, with many of these devices resurfacing in Dubai and Afghanistan.
According to authorities, a significant number of such iPhones have been recovered from individuals returning to Pakistan from Dubai. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Irfan Baloch informed Republic Policy News that the South zone police meticulously cross-checked the IMEI numbers of 10,237 distinct mobile phones that had been seized or reported stolen in Karachi between November 2022 and July 2023.
In the South district alone, this effort resulted in the recovery of 423 mobile phones out of 1,230 cases examined. Meanwhile, in the City district, the IMEI numbers of 1,978 mobile phones were processed, leading to the recovery of 345 phones and tracing of 989.
Baloch further revealed that IMEI numbers for 1,452 mobile phones from the Keamari district were scrutinized, with 377 being recovered and 726 successfully traced. He also highlighted substantial evidence indicating that the cellphones confiscated or stolen in Karachi are finding their way to markets in Dubai and Afghanistan.
This trend underscores the need for enhanced efforts to combat mobile phone theft and the illegal resale of stolen devices across international borders.
