{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "How phones snatched on Bhopal's streets ended up in Bangladesh, and what four arrests revealed",
  "summary": "Ayodhya Nagar police arrested four men for mobile snatching and recovered 22 phones, exposing an international syndicate that ran from Bhopal to Mumbai and on to Bangladesh.",
  "content": "People walking the streets of Bhopal had no idea that the phones in their pockets and hands were being watched by smugglers operating across the border. When Ayodhya Nagar police nabbed four hardened mobile snatchers, they slowly uncovered a network whose roots ran from the notorious 'Irani Dera' in Bhopal's Aman Colony to Mumbai, the country's financial capital, and onward to the borders of neighbouring Bangladesh.\n\nA route straight out of a crime thriller\nThe gang's method was no less dramatic than a Bollywood crime thriller. Phones snatched from Bhopal's lanes were rushed to Mumbai through couriers and foot soldiers. There, in the underworld and the grey markets, the IMEI numbers of these phones were flashed or tampered with so that Indian agencies could never trace them.\n\nThe expensive, premium handsets were cut up into pieces. Their screens, costly cameras and motherboards were sold to local Mumbai shopkeepers at high prices. The phones that were still working were smuggled illegally across the Bangladesh border through sea and land routes.\n\nSabdar Irani is the mastermind\nAyodhya Nagar station in-charge Mahesh Lilhare said four accused were caught in the Ayodhya Nagar area, and 22 mobiles were recovered from them. Questioning revealed that the hub of this entire network was the Irani Dera and its kingpin is Sabdar Irani. This gang would send the mobiles first to Mumbai and from there to Bangladesh.\n\nThe arrested men said Sabdar bought each mobile phone for three to four thousand rupees. His henchmen were spread across Bhopal areas such as Sewania, Govindpura, Piplani and Ayodhya Nagar.\n\nSenior police officer Anil Sharma also believes that the IMEI numbers of these phones are flashed right at the start so the criminals stay out of reach. He added that the possibility of these phones being used in unethical or wrongful activities cannot be ruled out.\n\nA raid six months ago too\nThis is not the first time the Irani Dera has made headlines. Exactly six months ago, police raided the spot at midnight with a heavy force. At that time 32 accused were arrested and 51 mobiles were recovered. It is clear that even after going to jail, this syndicate does not stop.\n\nPolice now aim not just to catch these small fish, but to dismantle the entire chain, from the big buyers sitting in Mumbai to the smugglers active on the Bangladesh border. For now, the hunt is on for Sabdar Irani, whose arrest is expected to bring out many more secrets of this international network.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: Stolen and snatched phones are resold after their IMEI numbers are altered, so report a lost phone to the police immediately and get the IMEI blocked.\n• In Bhopal: Areas like Sewania, Govindpura, Piplani and Ayodhya Nagar face a higher risk of mobile snatching, so use your phone carefully on the streets.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. How many accused were caught and how many phones recovered?\nAyodhya Nagar police arrested four accused and recovered 22 mobiles from them.\n\n2. Who is the mastermind of this gang?\nThe hub of the network was the Irani Dera and its kingpin is said to be Sabdar Irani, who is now being hunted by police.\n\n3. Where were the snatched phones sent?\nThe phones were first sent from Bhopal to Mumbai, and from there smuggled across the Bangladesh border via sea and land routes.\n\n4. What was done to stop the phones from being traced?\nIn Mumbai the IMEI numbers of these phones were flashed or tampered with so that agencies could not track them.\n\n5. How much did Sabdar Irani pay for each phone?\nAccording to the arrested accused, Sabdar bought each mobile for three to four thousand rupees.\n\n6. Had the Irani Dera been raided before?\nYes, exactly six months ago police raided the spot at midnight, arresting 32 accused and recovering 51 mobiles.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/madhya-pradesh/bhopal-ki-sarakon-se-lute-gae-phona-kaise-pahunchate-the-bangladesh-chara-luteron-ki-giraphtari-se-khuli-puri-kahani-3053",
  "category": "Madhya Pradesh",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-25",
  "tags": [
    "mobile snatching",
    "Irani Dera",
    "Bhopal police",
    "Sabdar Irani",
    "Bangladesh smuggling",
    "Ayodhya Nagar",
    "IMEI flashing"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}