The UK's Metropolitan Police has disrupted suspected international smuggling gang in its largest crackdown of phone theft ever in London on Monday, October 6, 2025.
As reported by the officials, the theft-gang network is believed to have trafficked up to thousands of phones and was smuggling stolen devices to China and Hong Kong.
The criminal organisation has smuggled up to 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China over the past 12 months.
Previously, the police force launched Operation "Echo steep" in December 2024, after a box containing about 1,000 iPhones was found at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport, which was being shipped to Hong Kong.
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Moreover, the smugglers specifically targeted Apple products because of their profitability overseas, with street thieves being paid up to £300 a handset and stolen devices being sold for up to $5,000 (£3,710) in China as informed by investigation officer Gavin.
Metropolitan Police Commander, Andrew Featherstone, said it is the UK's largest ever operation against phone thefts.
18 suspects have been arrested and more than 2,000 stolen devices discovered through raid on 28 properties in London and Hertfordshire.
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As reported by BBC, the investigation was triggered after a victim traced a stolen phone last year.
Following the case, as of September 20, 2024 a man was charge with handling stolen goods after being stopped with 10 suspected stolen phones at Heathrow Airport.
"It was actually on Christmas Eve and a victim electronically tracked their stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport," Detective Inspector Mark Gavin stated.
Moreover, the officers also discovered two iPads, two laptops and two Rolex watches.
As further investigation probed on two suspects, police bodycam footage captured officers, some with Tasers drawn, carrying out a dramatic mid-road interception of a car.
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Furthermore, officials intercepted additional shipments and utilized forensic evidence discovered on the packages to identify the suspects.
They also uncovered devices wrapped in foil, indicating that the offenders attempted to transport the stolen electronics without detection.
Officers carried out a total of 46 arrests after a two-week operation.
Detective Gavin said "finding the original shipment of phones was the starting point for an investigation that uncovered an international smuggling gang, which we believe could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all the phones stolen in London".
The suspects arrested were charged with conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to conceal or remove criminal property.
Moreover, the met officers informed that they have discovered almost all phones that had been stolen in major thefts.
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London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan appreciated the prompt act of met police for responding to residents' concerns.
"The security there was eager to help out and they found the phone was in a box, among another 894 phones," he stated.
“This is, without doubt, the largest operation of its kind in UK history, and it was humbling to see first-hand how the Met are going after the leaders of international smuggling gangs as well as the street robbers and snatchers fuelling this industrial-scale crime,” Khan added.
He also advised phone companies to assist authorities by making it impossible for smugglers to use stolen phones as the criminals are making millions by repurposing stolen phones and selling them abroad, with many still able to access cloud services.
Mayor said, “It’s simply too easy and too profitable."
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Throughout the UK, the majority of cases have been reported in London.
The number of phones stolen in London has almost tripled in the last four years, from 28,609 in 2020 to 80,588 in 2024 as reported by BBC.
