The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office in Lahore, in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Gujranwala, has conducted two successful enforcement raids targeting illegal IMEI tampering and the sale of cloned mobile devices in Gujranwala.

The first raid was carried out at Google Valley Mobile Plaza in Model Town, where 19 tampered or cloned phones were seized, and the shop owner was arrested on the spot. In the second raid at Musa Mobile in Main Market, six tampered devices were recovered, although the shop owner managed to escape by blending into a gathered crowd.

READ MORE:

Saudi Arabia Lifts Short-Term Visa Ban for 14 Countries Post-Hajj 2025

Among the confiscated devices was a phone with an IMEI linked to Disney Mobile—a brand not officially available in Pakistan. Other seized devices included models from Google Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, and the Samsung S23 Ultra, all illegally modified to carry the IMEIs of lower-cost devices.

FIRs have been registered, and investigations are ongoing. PTA reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on IMEI tampering and the sale of patched or cloned phones, which pose significant risks to national security by enabling anonymous communication and facilitating cybercrime, financial fraud, abductions, and other serious offenses.

PTA has urged the public to remain alert and report any suspicious mobile device activity. The authority emphasized that regulatory enforcement is being intensified, and those involved in such illegal practices will face strict legal consequences.