London: The Metropolitan Police, under Operation Echosteep, have arrested 46 people after dismantling a criminal network suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China.
The months-long investigation, launched last December, began when officers discovered a box at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport containing around 1,000 stolen iPhones en route to Hong Kong.
Specialist detectives were brought in to track down the suspects, leading to what is now being described as the UK’s largest-ever crackdown on phone theft. Investigators intercepted additional shipments and used forensic analysis to identify two men in their 30s, who were arrested on 23 September on suspicion of handling stolen goods. Both have since been charged and remanded in custody.
Thousands of phones stolen. A global black market worth millions.
Step inside the Met Police operation that brought down those suspected of being at the top of London’s phone theft crime pyramid. pic.twitter.com/zjPg1Va4ry
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) October 7, 2025
Street thieves and black market
Authorities found numerous phones in the suspects’ car and approximately 2,000 more devices at properties linked to them. Detective Inspector Mark Gavin, senior investigating officer for Operation Echosteep, said that the group targeted Apple products because of their high profitability overseas. Street thieves were reportedly paid up to £300 per handset, while the devices could sell for up to $5,000 (£3,700) in China.
Commander Andrew Featherstone, the Met’s lead on phone theft, described the operation as “the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in the UK” and called on manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung to do more to protect customers by improving phone security and re-use measures.
The 46 arrests came during two weeks of targeted activity, which included the arrest of 11 individuals linked to gangs robbing courier vans delivering the new iPhone 17. Police also arrested two men in their 30s on suspicion of money laundering and handling stolen goods after recovering nearly £40,000 in cash at a phone shop in north London.
Another man was charged with handling stolen goods after being stopped at Heathrow Airport on 20 September with 10 suspected stolen phones. Further investigation revealed he also possessed two iPads, two laptops, and two Rolex watches, and had traveled between London and Algeria over 200 times in two years.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the trade, calling it ‘simply too easy and profitable’ for criminals, who are making millions by reselling stolen phones abroad. The Mayor urged the mobile phone industry to take stronger action to make stolen devices unusable and emphasized the need for coordinated global measures to shut down the trade, aiming to build a safer London for all residents.
Operation Echosteep stands as a landmark initiative in the UK’s fight against organised phone theft, reinforcing law enforcement’s determination to dismantle global smuggling networks and protect consumers.
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