ISLAMABAD, Jun 12 (APP):Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office Lahore, in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Gujranwala, conducted two successful raids in Sialkot targeting the sale of tampered and cloned mobile phones.
The first raid took place at Electro Mart, Allama Iqbal Chowk, where one mobile phone with a tampered IMEI was seized, and the shop owner was arrested, according to a news release.
The second raid at Rehman Mobile Centre, also located at Allama Iqbal Chowk, led to the seizure of four mobile phones with tampered IMEIs. The owner was apprehended on site.
The confiscated devices, including various models of Google Pixel, were found to have reconfigured IMEIs to resemble lower-priced units. FIRs have been registered, and investigations are ongoing.
PTA maintains a zero-tolerance policy against the illegal modification of mobile device identifiers.
IMEl tampering and the distribution of cloned phones pose serious threats to national security and public safety, facilitating criminal anonymity and enabling cybercrime, financial fraud, abductions, and other offences.
PTA urges the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to mobile phone cloning or tampering.
Regulatory actions are being strengthened, and violators will face strict legal consequences
