When Apple rolled out ‘Find My iPhone’, they pitched it as a simple way to locate your lost device—maybe the one wedged between your couch cushions or left at a coffee shop. What they didn’t mention was that it could also double as a crimefighter and help crack international phone smuggling rings on the side! That’s exactly what happened when authorities in the UK uncovered a large-scale phone smuggling operation involving tens of thousands of stolen phones, thanks to this iPhone tracking feature.
The investigation began when a victim tracked their stolen iPhone using Apple’s built-in Find My app. This led police to an airport warehouse, where they discovered the phone packed among 894 other devices which further triggered a wider investigation coordinated by the Metropolitan Police.
The probe revealed that the stolen phones were being smuggled out of the UK, primarily to China, where they could be sold at high value. Authorities believe that the gang may be responsible for up to 40,000 stolen phones over time, many of which were shipped overseas in bulk. They estimate the group could have been behind as much as 50% of all phone thefts in London. Sounds to me less like a gang, and more like a startup with criminal ambitions.
Police raided 28 addresses, arrested 18 suspects, and recovered over 2,000 stolen devices. Investigators noted that iPhones were specifically targeted due to their global demand and high resale value—especially in third-world countries, where even a used iPhone can cost more than someone’s monthly salary. How about we name this gang of iPhone stealing thieves—‘Apple-Pickers’ then?
The success of this investigation highlights the effectiveness of the ‘Find My iPhone’ feature, which was meant only for an individual phone recovery, but is now apparently moonlighting as an undercover cop and exposing large criminal networks.
But in a beautiful twist of poetic justice, it was one lone iPhone—stolen, but not silent—that stepped up, pinged its location, and led police to the warehouse, ultimately rescuing not just itself, but thousands of its fellow captives and brethren. A true hero of the masses!
The success of this investigation highlights the effectiveness of the ‘Find My iPhone’ feature, which was meant only for an individual phone recovery, but is now apparently moonlighting as an undercover cop and exposing large criminal networks.
