New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Delhi Police’s South District personnel have busted an alleged international mobile phone trafficking syndicate linked to Bangladesh and arrested two key receivers from West Bengal, recovering 163 stolen, snatched and robbed mobile phones in a major interstate operation.

Police said the action was carried out by the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of South District after receiving specific intelligence on May 19 about two men involved in transporting stolen mobile phones from Delhi-NCR to Bangladesh through West Bengal.

Acting on the tip-off, the police team raided Okhla Vihar and apprehended the two accused — Abdul Samim, 23, and Ahidujjaman, 35, both residents of West Bengal’s Malda district.

During the search, five stolen mobile phones linked to separate Delhi e-FIRs were recovered from their possession.

According to police, sustained interrogation of the accused revealed that a large consignment of stolen phones had recently been dispatched to West Bengal through courier channels.

Based on the disclosures and technical inputs, the police coordinated with officials and intercepted suspicious consignments at a warehouse in Gurugram, recovering 158 additional stolen mobile phones.

A total of 163 mobile phones, along with courier consignments, packaging material, courier slips, invoices, and other incriminating articles, were seized during the operation.

Police said the investigation exposed an organised interstate and international network engaged in purchasing stolen and snatched mobile phones from criminals operating in Delhi-NCR, routing them to West Bengal through courier services and then allegedly trafficking them into Bangladesh for disposal in grey markets.

Officials said further investigation is underway to trace both backward and forward linkages of the syndicate across Delhi-NCR, West Bengal, and Bangladesh.

Delhi Police has linked the recovered phones to multiple theft and snatching cases registered across police stations in the national capital, including Delhi Cantt, Patel Nagar, New Delhi Railway Station, Kotwali, Kirti Nagar, Hauz Kazi, Palam, Kashmiri Gate, Civil Lines, and Daryaganj.

Several LR entries from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir are also being examined to establish connections with other recovered devices, while efforts are on to unlock and identify ownership of the remaining phones.

The operation was conducted by a team led by Inspector Umesh Yadav under the supervision of Additional DCP (Operations) Arvind Kumar.

Delhi Police said the successful operation reflected swift technical surveillance, coordinated interstate action and timely interception of courier consignments, dealing a significant blow to organised mobile phone trafficking networks operating across state and international borders.

–IANS

sn/vd