The minutes are over: the prosecutor has dismantled a band that sold cell phones

After 20 months of research, the prosecutor has dismantled one of the most dangerous gangs in Santander: “Those of the North”, who were brought before a collateral judge for crimes of theft, manipulation, marketing and export of mobile phones.

The capture took place in a commercial premises in Bucaramanga where gang members bought stolen cell phones which they then resold, dismantled or exported outside the country, mainly to Venezuela.

According to the communication from the Attorney General’s Office, “Those of the North” they billed 70 million pesos a month during their criminal career.

In the official operation that led to the capture of the eight gang members, the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office They seized 70 cell phones, a computer, 7 USB memories and 2 hard drives where they stored IMEIS information from stolen devices. In addition, the authorities proceeded to shut down three premises, used by the band, for device marketing activities.

Under the responsibility of crime for receiving cell phones The following defendants were brought to justice: Fernando Aguirre Romero, Misael Molina, Jonathan Rivera, Cristian Fabián Rodríguez, John Fredy Sánchez, Cristian Guadrón, Andrés Miguel Sarmiento, Jair Julián Pinzón. Despite the fact that the judge did not impose a security measure on them, charged by the investigating body, he left the gang members tied to the criminal trial.

During 2020, the Prosecutor’s Office dismantled three cell theft gangs in the Santander department.

Like a crime on the rise mobile phone theft in Colombia reached unprecedented figures in 2019. In agreement with Asomobile, a union that hosts mobile phone companies in the country, only in that year the attorney general’s office received 99,954 reports of theft of this type of devices, which meant a 15% increase compared to the cases of 2018: 86,749.

For the police, the seizure of stolen mobile phones is an activity that does not reach a ceiling in the country, given the panorama of competitive prices and the “aspirational” market represented by the acquisition of high-end mobile phones, financed by companies.

In 2019 they were seized 32,811 devices in the country and 29,299 citizens arrested for theft. Furthermore, they were closed 1,012 stores selling stolen devicesEither through “tickling”, a technique used in public transport, or in armed robbery.

Although the robberies are continuing, authorities believe the scourge should be treated differently from traditional theft. MinTic and Police explore ways to view cell phone and component theft as a transnational crime that includes countries in the area to stop fraudulent exports to their markets.

While legislating in this way, It is convenient for users to protect their devices with locking systems, many of which are activated by the same companies, to reduce the value of their phones on the black market.

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