Police in Kampala have recovered 723 suspected stolen mobile phones during an operation at Cooper Complex in the city centre.
On Tuesday, security operatives raided 12 shops. According to the police, the stolen phones had allegedly been tampered with, including the alteration of their serial numbers, before being sold across borders, making it extremely difficult for the rightful owners to trace and recover them.
Police also recovered more than 460 used MTN and Airtel SIM cards from one of the shops, as well as machines suspected to have been used to alter mobile phone serial numbers.
During the operation, three of the recovered phones received calls from individuals who identified themselves as the rightful owners. The callers reported that the phones had been stolen from them in the Makindye area of Kampala, providing investigators with immediate leads.
A General Inquiry File has been opened to establish the lawful ownership of all the recovered phones and facilitate their return to the rightful owners where appropriate.
A total of 13 suspects were arrested during the operation and are being screened as investigations continue.
