Cyber Cell busts ₹2 crore mobile smuggling racket

NEW DELHI: The Cyber Cell of Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has dismantled a major stolen mobile phone smuggling racket with the arrest of Manish Yadav (36), a resident of Loni Dehat, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The operation led to the recovery of 195 high-value stolen phones worth approximately ₹2 crore.

The seized devices included 39 iPhones, 52 Samsung models, and other premium brands, linked to 29 reported cases of theft and loss. Investigations revealed Yadav’s plan to smuggle the stolen phones to neighbouring countries. Efforts are underway to trace rightful owners and recover more stolen property.

Acting on specific intelligence, a special team apprehended Yadav from Wazirabad Village. A search of his premises uncovered the stolen phones, stockpiled for

illegal export. During interrogation, Yadav admitted working with juveniles and petty thieves to target crowded areas like metro stations, buses, and markets in Delhi-NCR. He would purchase stolen phones at low prices, hoarding them for bulk international sales. Police also discovered Yadav’s prior criminal record, including a 2017 arrest.