The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has intensified its crackdown on the illegal tampering of IMEI numbers and on the scale of which cloned mobile devices were being sold. 

In collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), successful raids were conducted, apprehending a total of 45 mobile phones from various locations.

Raids were conducted in areas such as Gulzar-e-Madinah road in Lahore and Google Valley Mobile Plaza in Gujranwala where brands such as Google Pixel, OnePlus, Samsung S23 Ulta and other phones were involved in being tampered with and sold at a very low price. The shopkeepers involved in said operations had FIRs registered against them while being arrested.

PTA emphasizes its maintenance in its zero-tolerance policy against illegal modifications of mobile device identifiers thus avoiding facilitating any kind of cybercrime or financial fraud providing public safety through national security.