ABUJA (Sundiata Post) It is easy to buy what is often called ‘UK Used’ phones in Nigerian markets. People prefer it because of its high second hand value and affordability, but not many if any, are aware the so-called London used Phones they are buying in Nigeria were actually ttolen from their original owners by Street Gangs In UK.
A recent report by Thomas Burrows for THE DAILY MAIL UK has extensively revealed this.
See full story below:
Nigerian gangs make millions from Britain’s mobile moped muggers in oil-rich African nation where stolen UK phones are on open sale for £320 cheaper than western prices.
Mobile phones stolen on the streets of Britain are being sold in Nigeria’s capital.
Nigeria has not signed up to a global deal effectively blacklisting stolen phones.
Phones are stripped of data and used by gangs to try and hack bank accounts.
They are then sold on in bulk to middle men who ship them to eastern Europe.
Phones are then finally sold to crime lords in Nigeria, as well as Algeria and India.
Nigerian crime lords are making millions from mobile phones stolen on the streets of Britain by moped gangs.
Mobile phones snatched from pedestrians are advertised as ‘UK used’ iPhones for sale in Nigeria’s capital(sic)of Lagos, where they are sold at knock-down prices.
Nigeria has not signed up to a global deal effectively blacklisting stolen phones so gangs are continuing to supply tens of thousands of phones to crime bosses in the oil-rich African country.
This graphic shows how mobile phones stolen on the streets of the UK make their way to shops and market stalls in Nigeria.
Nigeria has not signed up to a global deal blacklisting stolen phones, so British moped gangs are able to keep crime bosses supplied by exporting tens of thousands of snatched mobiles.
The phones they steal are first stripped of their data which is used by gangs to try and hack bank accounts.
They are then sold on in bulk to middle men who ship them to eastern Europe where technology experts working for criminal gangs steal users’ private information.
The phones are then finally sold to crime lords in Nigeria, as well as Algeria and India.
An investigation by The Sun found stolen iPhones from the UK being sold in the Lagos suburb of Ikeja for £560.
‘UK used’ iPhones were found being sold for £560 in stores and markets in Nigeria’s capital of Lagos. One store offered a ‘UK used’ iPhone 6 for £230.
Conservative MP Andrew Percy told the newspaper: ‘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.’
A Lagos police spokesman said: ‘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.’
A documentary showed criminals boasting to a BBC journalist of stealing thousands of pounds worth of mobile phones, tablet computers and bags (pictured).
An explosive documentary earlier this year showed criminals boasting to a BBC journalist of stealing thousands of pounds worth of mobile phones, tablet computers and bags and carrying out smash-and-grab raids on high street jewellers.
One of the gang, a 21-year-old known as Mr X who wore a skull mask, bragged about being able to snatch three smartphones in 20 seconds, comparing it to ‘stealing candy from a baby’.
Mr X, a phone snatcher who claims to live in Islington, North London, boasted about it.
