London police crack down on network suspected of smuggling ...

World World The police nabbed 46 people, including 11 who were arrested while they were investigating criminal gangs robbing delivery vehicles for the new iPhone 17. Members of the public pose beside a red telephone box in London on Sep 18, 2025. (File photo: AFP/Carlos Jasso) LONDON: London's Metropolitan Police on Monday (Oct 6) said it had arrested 46 people in an operation to bust a global network suspected of smuggling nearly 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China. Police said it was the "largest" ever crackdown on phone theft in the British capital, where tourist hotspots are particularly plagued by snatchings. The police investigation, dubbed Operation Echosteep, was launched in December 2024 after a box with some 1,000 iPhones bound for Hong Kong was found near Heathrow Airport. Most of the phones turned out to be stolen. The police have made a total of 46 arrests connected to the operation, including 11 made while probing criminal gangs robbing delivery vehicles for the new iPhone 17. "This is, without doubt, the largest operation of its kind in UK history," London mayor Sadiq Khan said, adding that the police had targeted smuggling gang leaders as well as "street robbers and snatchers". According to the Met police, more than 80,000 mobile phones were stolen in London in 2024. Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday. Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief An automated curation of our top stories to start your day. Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Get WhatsApp alerts Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app Copyright© Mediacorp 2025. Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be. To continue, upgrade to a supported browser or, for the finest experience, download the mobile app. Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us