UK Police Break Up International Gang Smuggling Stolen Phones to China. An international gang was dismantled after police uncovered a scheme to export up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China. The operation began when a victim traced a stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport, leading to a major investigation. Police arrested 18 suspects and discovered more than 2,000 stolen phones, including devices wrapped in foil to avoid detection. The suspects, including Afghan and Indian nationals, were charged with conspiracy to receive stolen goods and conceal criminal property. Authorities believe the gang could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of the phones stolen in London. The number of phone thefts in London has nearly tripled in the last four years, with tourist hotspots like Oxford Street seeing frequent robberies. The demand for second-hand phones, particularly Apple products, has been linked to the surge in thefts, with stolen devices sold for high prices in China. Senior officers hailed the operation as the largest crackdown on mobile theft in the UK, involving street-level thieves to international organized crime groups. The Met Police is deploying additional officers to tackle phone theft in London, with plans to increase surveillance in key areas like Westminster and the West End. Despite the crackdown, critics argue that more needs to be done, including better coordination with the mobile phone industry to make stolen devices unusable. [Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT]