'War booty': Cheap iPhone 18s advertised in Tehran after Hormuz shipwreck

Apple's iPhone 18 smartphones are reportedly being advertised in Tehran at unusually low prices as "war booty" following a cargo ship sinking near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Times of India. The advertisements surfaced after a container ship reportedly sank near the strategic waterway on October 13, with videos circulating on social media purportedly showing shipping containers floating in the sea and iPhones and expensive perfumes scattered in the water as people aboard small boats collected the goods.

Iran's cyber police have warned prospective buyers against paying deposits or advance fees before inspecting the products and verifying sellers' identities, cautioning that scammers could exploit the shipwreck reports to advertise products that do not exist. The advertisements have emerged amid escalating maritime tensions in West Asia, with commercial vessels facing repeated attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments.

Brief written by urgent.news from Times of India's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.