Three jailed for 25 years over London phone trafficking ring
Men sentenced for smuggling 40 per cent of stolen phones from London to China.
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Amir Muhammad Khadikhel, 35, from Wanstead, Ismat Miakhel, 33, from Walthamstow, and Mansoor Mohammed, 30, from Wood Green, were sentenced on September 25 at Southwark Crown Court. The total prison sentence for the three men amounts to 25 years. They were found to be responsible for trafficking approximately 40 per cent of all stolen phones exported from London to China during 2024 and 2025.
Investigation into Operation Echosteep
Operation Echosteep seizure leads to nine‑year jail terms for phone smugglers
Metropolitan Police recovered over 10,000 stolen mobiles, £250,000 cash and saw a 20% fall in recorded phone thefts across London
The investigation, known as Operation Echosteep, commenced in December 2024. It was triggered when a warehouse near Heathrow Airport was found to contain a box with around one thousand iPhones destined for Hong Kong. This discovery led police to trace shipments and gather forensic evidence to identify the individuals involved in the smuggling network.
Khadikhel and Miakhel were apprehended in north-east London on September 23, 2025. Officers recovered several hundred phones from their vehicle and an additional two thousand phones from connected properties. Mohammed was later identified, arrested, and charged as part of the same operation. The Metropolitan Police described this case as part of their largest-ever operation targeting mobile phone theft.
Impact on Phone Theft Rates
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Commander Andy Featherstone, the Met’s lead for tackling mobile phone theft, stated that the sentences send a clear message to those involved in stealing phones. The Metropolitan Police reported a 20 per cent reduction in phone theft across London in 2025. In Westminster, the figures for phone theft dropped by almost 50 per cent during the same period.
Questions this report answers
+Who was sentenced and for how long?
Amir Muhammad Khadikhel, Ismat Miakhel, and Mansoor Mohammed were sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison. The sentencing took place at Southwark Crown Court on September 25.
+What was the scale of the phone trafficking operation?
The three men were responsible for trafficking approximately 40 per cent of all stolen phones from London to China between 2024 and 2025. This operation represented a significant portion of the stolen mobile phone exports from the capital.
+How did the police uncover this operation?
The investigation began in December 2024 when a box containing around one thousand iPhones destined for Hong Kong was discovered at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport. This led to the launch of Operation Echosteep.
+Has phone theft in London decreased?
Yes, the Metropolitan Police reported a 20 per cent reduction in phone theft across London in 2025. In Westminster, phone theft figures dropped by nearly 50 per cent during the same year.
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