Chittagong Bureau :
Two mobile phone technicians, who police say are involved in changing international mobile equipment identity or IMEI numbers of stolen devices, have been arrested in Chittagong.
Police have identified the suspects as Md Rafique, 34, the owner of mobile phone shop National Mobile Technology at CDA Market in the port city, and his assistant Nurunnabi Liton, 28.
Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner AFM Humayun Kabir told that software and tool used for changing IMEI numbers were seized from them during their arrest on Thursday night. A laptop, 14 mobile phones and four tablet PCs were also seized.
Detective Humayun said, Rafique and Liton were members of a ring that had been involved in selling stolen mobile devices after changing IMEI numbers in the port city for long.
“Police were after the ring for a long time but its members could not be identified. Two were finally arrested on Thursday,” he said . He said the mobile devices found in the shop were actually brought by other second-hand mobile phone sellers.Rafique reportedly told the police that they can change IMEI numbers of mobile devices of many brands like iPhone, Nokia and HTC, police sources said .
According to Rafique, it takes 20 to 30 minutes for them to change IMEI numbers of cheap devices and four to five days for expensive ones.
Liton said they used ‘special’ SIM cards and a ‘special device called Dangal’ to change the IMEI numbers .
Police officials said many stolen expensive devices are brought to Chittagong, even from Dhaka, to change IMEI numbers . They said they found eight mobile phones with the same IMEI number during investigation.
Two mobile phone technicians, who police say are involved in changing international mobile equipment identity or IMEI numbers of stolen devices, have been arrested in Chittagong.
Police have identified the suspects as Md Rafique, 34, the owner of mobile phone shop National Mobile Technology at CDA Market in the port city, and his assistant Nurunnabi Liton, 28.
Detective Branch Additional Deputy Commissioner AFM Humayun Kabir told that software and tool used for changing IMEI numbers were seized from them during their arrest on Thursday night. A laptop, 14 mobile phones and four tablet PCs were also seized.
Detective Humayun said, Rafique and Liton were members of a ring that had been involved in selling stolen mobile devices after changing IMEI numbers in the port city for long.
“Police were after the ring for a long time but its members could not be identified. Two were finally arrested on Thursday,” he said . He said the mobile devices found in the shop were actually brought by other second-hand mobile phone sellers.Rafique reportedly told the police that they can change IMEI numbers of mobile devices of many brands like iPhone, Nokia and HTC, police sources said .
According to Rafique, it takes 20 to 30 minutes for them to change IMEI numbers of cheap devices and four to five days for expensive ones.
Liton said they used ‘special’ SIM cards and a ‘special device called Dangal’ to change the IMEI numbers .
Police officials said many stolen expensive devices are brought to Chittagong, even from Dhaka, to change IMEI numbers . They said they found eight mobile phones with the same IMEI number during investigation.
