Delhi Police have uncovered an illegal mobile phone assembly and IMEI tampering factory in Karol Bagh, which reportedly produced phones used in thefts, robberies, cyber fraud, and other crimes over the past two years. The operation, named ‘CYBERHAWK’, led to the arrest of five accused and the seizure of 1,826 ready and semi-assembled mobile phones, laptops, specialized software, IMEI scanners, thousands of mobile body parts, and printed IMEI labels.
Old Mobile Boards Fitted Into New Bodies
Karol Bagh police had been monitoring suspicious mobile-related activities in the area for the past 15 days. Continuous inputs indicated that on the fourth floor of a building in Beednpura, Lane Number 22, illegal mobile assembly and IMEI manipulation were taking place. Acting on this information, the police were instructed to catch the accused red-handed and dismantle the entire network.
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On November 20, 2025, the police raided a unit called Aditya Electronics and Accessories, located on the fourth floor of a commercial building. During the raid, five people were found fitting old mobile motherboards into new mobile bodies.
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IMEI Tampering Software in Use
Police discovered that the accused were running IMEI-changing software on laptops and packing the phones on-site. The suspects revealed that old motherboards were sourced from scrap dealers. Damaged, old, or stolen mobile phones were purchased at low prices from Delhi and nearby scrap markets, while the new mobile bodies were imported from China. Thousands of mobile bodies arrived in shipments via suppliers.
Turning Old Phones into ‘New’ Phones
Using software like WRITEIMEI 0.2.2 and WRITEIMEI 2.0, the real IMEI numbers of phones were replaced with fake ones, making tracking extremely difficult. These phones were then packed and distributed in various markets across Delhi, including Karol Bagh and Gaffar Market, as well as other channels in the NCR region. Such phones were preferred by criminals due to the difficulty in tracing them after IMEI alteration.
Items Seized During Raid
The police recovered:
- 1,826 mobile phones (smartphones and keypad models)
- Laptop used for changing IMEI
- WRITEIMEI 2.0 software
- IMEI scanner/reader machines
- Thousands of mobile body parts
- Thousands of fake IMEI labels
- Tools used for mobile assembly
Police are investigating the sources of motherboards, the suppliers of mobile bodies from China, and the distribution network for the finished phones. The operation is being led by DCP Central, Nidan Valson.