ILLEGAL APPLE iPHONE WORKSHOP BUSTED, ACCUSED USED TO CHANGE IMEI NUMBER OF APPLE iPHONE

• REFURBISHED APPLE iPHONE IMPORTED FROM CHINA WERE BEING SWAPPED WITH NEW ONES UNDER WARRANTY SCHEME OF iPHONES FRAUDULENTLY.
• 409 IPHONE, 18 IPAD/IPOD, 250 FRONT DISPLAY & REAR BODY AND OTHER ARTICLES RECOVERED.
• FOUR ACCUSED PERSONS ARRESTED.

INFORMATION: Crime Branch has busted a gang of cheats who were running an illegal Apple iPhone workshop at 16-C, F/F, B J Mal Colony, Filmistan, Delhi and Apple iPhone Store at Shop No.63, Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh, Delhi. The accused persons  (1) Muneer Khan @ Faree @ Karan s/o Dilnawaz Khan r/o 17-C, F/F, BJ Mal Colony, Flimistan, Delhi, (2) Anash Khan @ Ashu S/o Dilnawaz Khan r/o 17-C, F/F, BJ Mal Colony, Flimistan, Delhi, (3) Mohd. Hamza Khan s/o Azam Khan r/o G-52/19, Batla House, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi and (4) Mohd. Ibrahim s/o Mohd. Rafiq r/o H. No. 6228, Paki Gali Bada Hindu Rao, Delhi have been arrested. The accused persons had cheated number of buyers on the pretext of selling genuine Apple iPhone.

The accused persons used to bring refurbished old Apple iPhone from China. They used to burn IMEI of stolen mobile phones and procure motherboard of old mobile phones from China. Later on, they used to replace mobile phones in connivance with staff of Apple iPhone service centers. After packing new duplicate boxes with high quality accessories, they were selling these mobile phones at lucrative rates on ‘ebay’ (online) and to other shopkeepers. With the arrest of accused persons a case vide FIR No. 90/2017, u/s 420/468/471/482/120B IPC, PS-Crime Branch, New Delhi has been registered.

INCIDENT:-
                  

Crime Branch was monitoring certain secret inputs regarding change of IMEI of stolen mobile phone.  During this exercise, a tip regarding a gang involved in running illegal Apple iPhone workshop at Filmistan and a Store at Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh, Delhi was developed by Crime Branch. It was found that Muneer Khan @ Faree @ Karan with his associates was running a workshop at 16-C, F/F, B J Mal Colony, Near Filmistan, Delhi. In the workshop, number of new and old Apple iPhones, two laptops, computer spare-parts and machine were found. Muneer Khan was getting Apple iPhone assembled with the help of two boys. Accused Muneer Khan was apprehended with a bag in which 12 different models of apple iphones were recovered. On his interrogation, he revealed that he had purchased some mobile phones from China and some of them were stolen mobile phones. He revealed that a laser machine was used to change IMEI of stolen mobile phones. Later on, he arranged to replace these phones in connivance with staff of Apple iPhone service centers. After packing in new duplicate boxes with high quality accessories, they were selling these mobile phones in market as new ones without bill.

MODUS OPERANDI:-                                           

These accused persons received a stolen mobile phones from various sources. In their workshop, such phones are given the name of “flight”. On receipt of the stolen mobiles, the SIM tray is thrown and display is removed for use in those phones which are broken. At the second stage, the motherboard of phone containing inbuilt IMEI is removed and taken to China for destruction of evidence. After the IMEI is burnt, they along with the duplicate/first copy of iPhone display, bring the same instrument to India. This instrument is again fitted. The SIM tray which was removed on receiving the stolen phone is embossed with a new IMEI which is procured from various sources as under:-

1. Some customer who come to the shop for repair of their iPhones and whose phones were under warranty are used to get replacements. Their SIM tray with IMEI is used in the stolen instrument, whose motherboard was burnt and the customers phone, being under warranty is distorted to get complete replacement.

2. The accused through ‘Wechat’ App used to obtain such IMEIs from China, which were under warranty and could be replaced from Apple Care Centers. The IMEI were embossed through a laser machine on the SIM tray.

3. The accused have disclosed that there is a huge market in Hong Kong of old iPhones under warranty. These phones come to China, and from China the accused persons import these phones to India. Thereafter they get them replaced in connivance with Apple Store employees with new phones. These new apple iphones are packed in duplicate boxes.  Stickers showing new IMEI is pasted on the duplicate boxes. These stickers are printed in their workshop. After complete packing these apple phones are sold via Ebay online and at Gaffar market, Karol Bagh.

4. Accused brings SIM tray from China without etching of IMEI and many such SIM trays have been recovered. Accused used laser printing machine for printing of new IMEI on the SIM tray and body.

TEAM AND OPERATION:   

                                               

Information was received at South Eastern Range of Crime Branch that a gang is involved in running fake Apple iPhone workshop at  Filmistan and Apple I-Phone Store at Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh, Delhi. They changed IMEI of stolen mobile phones and old purchased mobile phones.

Accordingly, a team led by Inspr. Ishwar Singh and Ramavtar  comprising of SIs Devender Dhahiya , SI Nagender Singh, ASI Yogender, ASI Dinesh, ASI Prithvi Raj, HC Manoj, HC Sandeep, HC Sidharth, Ct. Puspender and W/Ct. Manju was constituted to nab the criminals under the close supervision of ACP Ishwar Singh. Thereafter, a trap was laid by the team and on 15/6/2016, four accused persons running the fake workshop and shop were nabbed by Crime Branch, two accused from 16C, F/F, B J Mal Colony, Filmistan, Delhi and two accused from Shop No.63, Gaffar Market, Kaol Bagh, Delhi.                                   .

Recovery:-

1. 370 New and old iPhone without boxes.
2. 39 iPhone in sealed boxes,
3. 15 iPod in sealed boxes,
4. 3 iPad in sealed boxes,
5. 250 body i.e. front display and rear body of the iPhone,
6. Laser Machine for printing,
7. Computer, printer and other tools.