The Police in Kampala, have recovered more than 300 suspected stolen mobile phones and arrested 30 suspects following a major intelligence-led operation in Kampala, in one of the latest efforts to disrupt criminal networks fueling the growing trade in stolen electronic devices.
The operation was conducted on Tuesday at Cooper Complex in Kampala’s Central Business District after intelligence identified the premises as a suspected hub for the theft, distribution and sale of stolen mobile phones. Officers carried out coordinated searches that resulted in the recovery of hundreds of mobile phones believed to have been stolen from victims across the city.
The recovered devices have been secured as investigators begin the process of tracing their rightful owners, while the suspects remain in police custody pending further investigations. Detectives are expected to record statements from the suspects and other witnesses before determining the appropriate criminal charges based on the available evidence.
“We recovered over 300 suspected stolen mobile phones during the operation and arrested 30 suspects who are currently in custody. Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be processed in accordance with the law after statements are recorded and evidence reviewed,” said Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Public Relations Officer for Kampala Metropolitan Police.
The latest crackdown comes amid heightened police efforts to tackle the rising incidence of mobile phone theft and the illegal trade in suspected stolen property, crimes that have increasingly affected residents, businesses and commuters in Kampala.
Authorities say dismantling the markets where stolen phones are traded remains a key strategy in disrupting the criminal networks behind the thefts.
Police said investigations are continuing and urged members of the public who may have recently lost mobile phones to cooperate with investigators as efforts to identify and return the recovered devices to their rightful owners gather pace.
