Police uncover links between cattle theft gang and mobile phone racket, arrest nine suspects

A joint police operation uncovered a connection between a cattle theft gang and a mobile phone racket, resulting in the arrest of nine suspects. The investigation revealed that stolen mobile phones were eventually routed through a disposal network from Mumbai to Bangladesh. The cattle-theft gang, operating in Telangana and other districts, allegedly targeted isolated cattle sheds at night, especially during religious festivals.

They administered a sedative, Xylazine, to render the cattle drowsy before loading them into vehicles. Three of the nine suspects are absconding. The gang later shifted focus to mobile phone shop thefts, collaborating with a Mumbai-based individual named Farahan Shaik. After a failed attempt in Vijayawada, they targeted a shop in Khammam.

The seized mobile phones, three cars, and cash were part of an alleged disposal network. Police are investigating hawala transactions linked to the network and suspect another individual facilitated the movement of stolen phones into Bangladesh.