The Metropolitan Police have disrupted a major international network suspected of smuggling tens of thousands of stolen phones from London to China. Authorities say the operation, dubbed Operation Echosteep, is the largest of its kind in the UK.
Investigators estimate the criminal group moved up to 40,000 stolen phones in the past year, targeting high-value devices, particularly Apple products. The network accounted for nearly 40% of all mobile thefts in London.
The investigation began in December 2024 after police seized around 1,000 iPhones at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport. Forensic evidence from the shipment helped identify suspects and trace further smuggling activities.
Several arrests have been made: a man caught at Heathrow with 10 suspected stolen phones was charged with handling stolen goods, while two men in northeast London were arrested with 2,000 devices at linked properties. Two more suspects were arrested in Islington for money laundering and handling stolen goods, with £40,000 in cash recovered.
In total, 46 arrests occurred over two weeks, including 11 connected to gangs targeting delivery vans carrying new iPhone 17 models. Police conducted searches at 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire, seizing over 30 suspected stolen devices.
Mayor Sadiq Khan praised the Met for tackling the issue, citing a 13% drop in robberies and a 14% decrease in thefts this year. He urged the mobile phone industry to prevent stolen devices from being reused or exported.
Detective Inspector Mark Gavin said smugglers paid street thieves up to £300 per handset, which could sell for as much as $5,000 in China. Commander Andrew Featherstone called Operation Echosteep the most extensive action taken by the Met to combat both street-level theft and large-scale smuggling.
Officials stressed the need for global cooperation between law enforcement and technology companies. Investigations will continue, with further arrests expected to dismantle the remaining elements of the smuggling network.
