ISLAMABAD: In a major development in the fight against IMEI tampering in Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (CCRC) Gilgit arrested a suspect during a raid at a mobile phone repair shop in NLI Market, Gilgit City.
The coordinated operation led to the confiscation of a laptop along with specialized software and hardware used to clone and tamper with IMEI numbers. The detained individual is now in custody of the Cyber Crime Circle Gilgit and will face further legal proceedings.
The authorities concerned had previously conducted targeted raids on four mobile repair shops in the NLI Market, Gilgit City, involved in IMEI tampering and cloning. During the operation, law enforcement officials confiscated two laptops and two CPUs from the shops
PTA highlighted that cloned and tampered devices enable untraceable communication and are frequently exploited in serious crimes such as cyber fraud, abductions, and financial scams. The raid is part of ongoing efforts to combat IMEI tampering in Pakistan, which poses a significant threat to public safety and digital security.
The telecom regulator urged citizens to report suspicious activities linked to illegal mobile phone modifications. It also warned that violators involved in mobile phone cloning would face strict legal consequences.
The PTA reiterated its commitment to working closely with law enforcement to eliminate the trade of tampered mobile devices and ensure lawful use of communication systems across the country.
