Gang swaps iPhones, Apple watches with fakes in parcel tampering racket in Gujarat

A parcel tampering racket involving high-value phones and smartwatches has been unearthed by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch.

Ahmedabad Crime Branch has uncovered a well-planned racket in which a gang allegedly stole expensive gadgets ordered online, replaced them with look-alike fakes, and then sought refunds or cancelled deliveries.

Investigators said the accused even demonstrated how they could open a sealed parcel in under two minutes using a chemical solution — a move that left officers stunned.

During questioning, police asked the accused to show how they tampered with courier packets. And they demonstrated how they removed the original product, placed a counterfeit item inside, and resealed the packet — all within minutes.

The men filled a petrol-like liquid into a syringe and applied it along the packaging. The liquid melted the glue and a smartphone box inside the plastic bag was then taken out. The accused then used a hair dryer to blow hot air over the shrink wrap around the box. After a few clean cuts on the plastic casing of the box using a special tool, an iPhone was replaced with another smartphone and the shipment was repackaged inside the original courier bag.

According to investigators, the group worked in a coordinated network across Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and parts of Rajasthan.

The gang allegedly planted associates as delivery workers with courier companies. Using multiple fake IDs and addresses, the gang ordered high-value mobile phones, smartwatches and electronics.