OperationEchosteep

Operation Echosteep seizure leads to nine‑year jail terms for phone smugglers

Operation Echosteep dismantled what officials call the UK’s biggest phone‑smuggling ring. Police seized more than 10,000 devices, arrested three men and secured nine‑and‑a‑half‑year sentences, while recorded phone thefts dropped 20% in the year to August 2026.