Phone smuggling network dismantled near Heathrow

Detectives have dismantled what they believe to be the UK's largest phone smuggling network, uncovering over 800 stolen mobile phones packaged and ready for shipment to Hong Kong. The operation, known as Echosteep, began after a victim's stolen phone was tracked to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport.

The device was still ringing inside a sealed parcel, a detail that alerted the DHL courier company and subsequently the Metropolitan Police. Upon investigation, officers discovered more than 800 stolen phones, many wrapped in foil to block signals, organised in boxes and prepared for export. Police suspect the network was responsible for smuggling up to 40,000 phones during 2024 and 2025.

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Arrests and Recoveries

The inquiry led to the arrest of Amir Muhammad Khadikhel and Ismat Miakhel in September 2025 during a traffic stop in Waltham Forest. Officers found multiple stolen phones in their vehicle and at linked properties, with an additional 2,000 devices recovered. A third man, Mansoor Mohammed, was also identified as involved in handling the stolen devices.

Southwark Crown Court heard that a shop on Lea Bridge Road in Leyton was used as a storage facility, with a basement accessed via a trapdoor containing boxes of phones disguised as dried goods. Stolen phones were also found hidden inside a microwave at another property. The total value of phones seized by police in relation to the case was approximately £5.5 million.

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Sentencing and Network Operations

Khadikhel, 35, from Wanstead, Miakhel, 33, from Walthamstow, and Mohammed, 30, from Wood Green, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to handle stolen goods and participating in an organised crime group. Khadikhel and Miakhel also admitted conspiracy to remove stolen goods. On Friday, Judge Adam Hiddleston sentenced Khadikhel to nine-and-a-half years imprisonment, Miakhel to nine years, and Mohammed to six-and-a-half years.

Commander Andy Featherstone of the Metropolitan Police stated that the network recruited street thieves via social media, offering substantial payments for stolen devices, with newer models commanding higher prices. He described the operation as global, involving millions of pounds due to the high resale value of phones, particularly in China and Hong Kong where they can be used without restriction.

Operation Echosteep has resulted in 14 arrests and the seizure of over £250,000 in cash. While over 10,000 stolen phones have been recovered, more than 1,000 victims have been reunited with their devices. The Metropolitan Police are collaborating with companies like Apple to track stolen handsets and have requested legislative changes to make stolen devices unusable.

The number of recorded mobile phone thefts and robberies in London has shown a decrease, falling by 20% in the year ending August 2026 compared to the previous year. However, police acknowledge that theft rates remain too high in certain areas.