Two held for dealing in cellphones with tampered IMEI numbers

Police today arrested two local businessmen from Jagadish Market here for selling cloned high-end mobile phones after tampering with their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
Ahmed Jaffar Sadiq and Niyamathulla Khan, allegedly tampered with IMEI numbers of cellphones (stolen or lost handsets) of various international brands and re-sold them, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Commissioner's Task Force) P Rameshaiah said.
The Central Zone Task Force team seized as many 113 cell phones worth Rs 10 lakh from them.
IMEI numbers which help authorities track cellular phone users, comprises 15-digit codes assigned to a handset and it appears on the operator's network whenever a call is made. Concerns had been raised over the usage of cellphones with tampered IMEI numbers after terror attacks.

The duo specialised in unlocking cellphones of all brands. They allegedly used to purchase stolen or lost cell phones at cheaper rates and resold these to customers after tampering with their IMEI numbers, police said.
Along with the seized objects, the accused taken into police custody for further investigations, they said.