The Metropolitan Police say they have broken up an international criminal network accused of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China over the past year — in what is being described as the country’s largest-ever operation against phone theft.
Eighteen suspects were arrested and more than 2,000 stolen devices recovered during coordinated raids on 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire. Detectives believe the syndicate may be responsible for exporting nearly half of all phones stolen in London.
The investigation began after a victim traced a stolen iPhone to a Heathrow warehouse on Christmas Eve, where police discovered almost 900 other stolen handsets bound for Hong Kong. Forensic analysis of intercepted shipments later led officers to two Afghan nationals in their 30s, who were arrested with dozens of devices wrapped in foil to avoid detection. A third suspect, a 29-year-old Indian national, was also charged.
Detective Inspector Mark Gavin said the initial discovery “uncovered an international smuggling gang” believed to have trafficked as much as 40% of stolen phones in London. A further 15 arrests were made last week, most of them women, during early morning raids that uncovered 30 additional devices.
According to police data, phone theft in London has nearly tripled in four years — from 28,609 incidents in 2020 to 80,588 in 2024. The capital now accounts for three-quarters of all mobile thefts in the UK, driven largely by the resale value of high-end devices such as iPhones, which can fetch up to £4,000 in China.
Met Commander Andrew Featherstone called the operation “the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in UK history,” adding that officers had “dismantled criminal networks at every level, from street thieves to international smugglers.”
Despite the breakthrough, many victims continue to criticise police for slow responses and limited follow-up, even when tracking apps provide real-time locations of stolen phones.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said organised crime groups were shifting from drug dealing to phone theft because it was “more lucrative,” while London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged tech companies to “design out this crime” by making stolen devices unusable.
The Met says robbery is down 13% and theft 14% in London so far this year, and an extra 80 officers have been deployed to focus on hotspot areas such as Westminster and the West End — though the force faces a £260 million budget shortfall that will cut nearly 2,000 officers.
