The Detective Branch (DB) Cyber Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has busted a major racket involved in illegally altering mobile phone IMEI numbers and arrested a man in this connection.

They also seized software, a laptop and other equipment during the drive, said DMP Deputy Commissioner (DB-Cyber North) Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Sunday.

He said the DB Cyber teams of both North and South divisions had been facing difficulties tracing lost, stolen, or crime-linked mobile phones in Dhaka for several months.

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Many phones that should have been easily traceable suddenly went completely off the radar, he said.

An investigation revealed organized groups systematically changing IMEI numbers of stolen or crime-related phones, making them untraceable, he said.

 “An IMEI number is a globally unique identifier for a mobile device and cannot be legitimately changed. The syndicate was illegally erasing these numbers, destroying evidentiary value,” he added.

The drive was conducted  onWednesday evening in  Gulistan area when a man was arrested.

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Police recovered five mobile phone sets with removed IMEI numbers and several others queued for alteration.

Two software tools were identified which allowed the criminals to replace original IMEIs with fake ones using a laptop and data cable, the DB official said.

Preliminary interrogation indicated involvement of several other shops in the capital with investigators already identifying eight to ten additional locations.

Legal action under relevant laws is underway and follow-up raids are continuing, he added.

Rikabdar urged shop owners, employees, and the public to cooperate with police and warned against obstructing operations.

“Regardless of obstacles, DB Cyber will continue these drives to protect mobile users across Bangladesh,” he said.