The Uganda Police task team actively investigating acts of criminality linked to mobile phone and devices, has further established that a total of 885 phones had used sim cards whose phone history is being verified. An additional 748 phones had invalid IMEI, making them illegal and not authorized for usage in our country.
“Such phones that are illegal and the continued use of un registered sim cards or swapped sim cards, poses serious threats to our security. It is on record that several suspects, including hardcore repeat offenders, drug dealers and violent offenders use cell phones that do not provide a traceable record,” Uganda Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said on Monday.
“And yet our country, legislated on sim card registration and unauthorized devices, to help mitigate security concerns, criminal and anti-social behavior. The records above do show that there are still many phones with invalid IMEIs, and those still using unregistered sim cards.”
Enanga also revealed that they are planning to engage Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), from the perception of national security, and carry out joint enforcement programs to block all active, but unregistered sim cards, switch off all unauthorized mobile phones, as part of a massive drive against fake mobile phones, with invalid IMEIs.
“As we continue targeting mobile phone influenced crimes, we would like to use this opportunity to remind all sim card holders to ensure they are properly registered with a service provider. And further warn those with unregistered sim cards, that their lines will be deactivated in due course. We call upon all phone users to get their handsets verified and check if it possesses a valid IMEI number, otherwise it will be blocked. One can check IMEI from the device packaging box or from under the battery or by dialing *#06#.”
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