PTA Raids Shop Selling Patched, IMEI-Tampered Phones

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office Gilgit, in close coordination with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Gilgit, has intensified enforcement efforts against illegal IMEl tampering and the sale of cloned/patched mobile devices. A targeted raid was successfully executed at a mobile repair shop located in front of Bus Stand Jutial, Gilgit. The raid resulted in the confiscation of laptops and USB devices, while one individual was arrested on-site and taken into NCCIA custody for further legal action. PTA said it upholds a strict zero-tolerance policy against the unlawful modification of mobile device identifiers. IMEI tampering and the distribution of cloned devices pose serious threats to national security and public safety by enabling criminal anonymity and facilitating offenses such as cybercrime, financial fraud, and abductions.