How Nigerian gangs are making millions from phones stolen in United Kingdom
A new investigation carried out by The Sun news reports that Nigerian
phone black market makes millions from selling phones stolen in the
UK popular referred to as UK used phones.
According to The Sun report, investigators discovered “UK used”
iPhones being sold for £560 in stores and markets in Nigeria’s largest
city Lagos. Business is booming for the Nigerian racketeers because of
soaring demand from the oil-rich middle classes in a country where
hi-tech gadgets are relatively scarce.
And because Nigeria has not signed up to a global deal blacklisting
stolen phones, British moped gangs are able to keep the crime bosses
supplied by exporting tens of thousands of snatched mobiles.
MPs urged police to cut off that supply by cracking down on the moped gangs.
Tory MP Bob Neill, chairman of the Commons Justice Committee, said:
“This is a very serious matter. We’ve seen an increase in moped crimes
across the UK.
Sun investigators discovered “UK used” iPhones being sold for £560 in
stores and markets in Nigeria’s largest city Lagos. Where it is sold to
tech starved middle class Nigerians.
And because Nigeria has not signed up to a global deal blacklisting
stolen phones, British moped gangs are able to keep the crime bosses
supplied by exporting tens of thousands of snatched mobiles.
MPs urged police to cut off that supply by cracking down on the moped gangs.
“The police need to take these crimes more seriously and make
investigating them a higher priority. And sentences need to reflect that
this is serious organised crime which should attract tougher
penalties.”
Fellow Tory Andrew Percy said: “It is truly shocking to think that
violent attacks here in the UK are being used to make black marketeers
in other parts of the world wealthy.”
It is also reported that in 2016 alone over 440,000 phones were
stolen in UK. In London alone there were 60,000 mobile thefts and
robberies, almost two-thirds of them iPhones.
In the 12 months to June 2017, the Met recorded 16,158 phone crimes
related to mopeds, more than three times those reported in the year to
June 2016.
The robbers usually operate in two with one of them driving the motrocycle while the passenger quickly snatches the phone.
The phones they grab are first raided of data which is used to try to hack bank accounts.
They are then sold on in bulk to middlemen who ship them to eastern
Europe to be stripped of private information and reconditioned. The
phones are then moved on for sale — with Nigeria, Algeria and India the
main markets.
The Sun reportedly witnessed the end of the chain at “Computer Village” market in the Ikeja, Lagos.
Multiple stores offered “UK phones and accessories” and “UK used phones at affordable prices.”
Traders we questioned insisted their merchandise was from reputable
sources. A seller at Emeka Michael EB International Shop said: “Most of
our phones are London used.”
We found iPhones at sale for £560 — £310 cheaper than the authorised
Apple dealer’s price. Another store in Computer Village offered an
iPhone 6 for £230.
According to the Sun, Nigeria’s lack of phone network regulation makes it an easy target for crooks.
The Sun reportedly contacted A Lagos police spokesman who said he is not aware stolen phones from Uk are sold in Lagos.
“I am not aware that stolen phones from the UK end up in Lagos. If
there is a complaint about a stolen phone in Lagos we shall investigate
it.”
