In one of the conversations, a woman asks if it is possible to remove the theft complaint associated with the IMEI of a device. In another, an employee informs that the unlocking service costs from R$250 (see the video above).
The conversations are part of the investigation by the Public Ministry of São Paulo, in partnership with the Civil and Military police, into a criminal organization specializing in theft, theft, reception, unlocking and resale of cell phones. 84 search and seizure warrants were executed in Greater SP and in cities in Goiás, and 15 people were arrested.
Unlocked cell phone for R$250
In the recordings obtained by investigators, receivers seek technical assistance to try to unlock devices and remove records that could prevent their use or resale.
In one of the conversations, a woman directly asks an employee if she can remove the theft record associated with the IMEI of a cell phone.
"The one I'm telling you here, which I'm going to leave for you, my angel, the first IMEI was reported stolen. Can you take that away for me, please?", he asks.
"I need to know what model the device is and what lock it is on. If he has this request, it's because it's considered theft. Then we need to see if we can do it," the employee responds.
In another audio, the same employee explains that the unlocking procedure would be definitive and informs that the price started at R$250.
"This unlocking that is done is definitive, understand? Depending on the place, it can be hidden, but over time it returns. This is definitive," he guarantees.
According to her, the device needed to be taken to assistance because, as it was a new model, it would be necessary to check whether the procedure would work. She further explains that four paid programs were used.
"It starts at R$300 because there are four programs and they are all paid, you know? But then we need to see."
"Good afternoon, friend, you need to bring it to see what the unlock is, what type of lock... If it's a screen, a chip... You have to do a test. I don't know the exact value, but it starts at 250", says the woman in another recording.
In another record, a man seeks technical assistance after discovering that a customer was unable to recover the iCloud password from an iPhone 11:
"I was there yesterday. Until then, the customer had told me that it was just the six-digit password, so I did this procedure with you. Yesterday, I gave it to him. When it was late at night, he reported that he was unable to recover the iCloud password. I want to know how much it takes to reset the iPhone 11".
According to the Public Ministry, part of the tools used to tamper with devices and unlock them are made available by platforms based outside of Brazil.
According to prosecutor Luiz Fernando Bugiga, tampering with the IMEI makes it difficult to identify the illicit origin of the devices.
"From the moment it moves to this third stage of technical modification, we start to lose control of traceability, because it changes the IMEI. If I check the device's IMEI, it will appear on the base that it is a legal device, because it has already changed it and allocated a new number to it", he explained.
The path of stolen cell phones
Operation Frankmobile details the path taken by stolen and stolen cell phones in the capital. Normally, this type of crime happens in seconds, but after the criminals act, the device goes through a complex gear that involves several areas.
According to the Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (Gaeco), this organized chain begins with the theft of the device on the street and at festivals, continues to properties and stores in the Center of São Paulo, passes through technicians specialized in unlocking and tampering and ends in companies and businesses suspected of reinserting cell phones and parts into the market with the appearance of legality.
The investigation is an offshoot of previous investigations, such as Operation Salus et Dignitas, and brings together intelligence reports, device tracking, tax analyses, financial data, statements from collaborators and conversations extracted from seized cell phones and computers.
Scheme step by step
The Public Prosecutor's Office divides the flow of the stolen cell phone scheme into four interdependent centers (details in the infographic below):
Core 1 (subtraction): this is the most visible tip, with the participation of perpetrators of thefts, robberies and other property crimes involving cell phones;
Nucleus 2 (reception and invasion): this is the first destination of the devices, according to the investigation;
Core 3 (unlocking): technicians, assistance and commercial points appointed as responsible for resetting devices, removing blockages, tampering with IMEI and dismantling cell phones to reuse parts;
Core 4 (commercialization): people and companies suspected of reselling devices and components, including tax documentation and business circulation that would give the products a regular appearance.
The path of stolen cell phones in SP — Photo: Arte/g1
In practice, the researchers' thesis points out that crime only continues to pay off because there is a network ready to quickly absorb the stolen device, erase its tracks and return it to the market.
Why São Paulo became the epicenter
The investigation is based on data that had already attracted the attention of the authorities: São Paulo accounts for a significant share of cell phone robberies and thefts in the country.
According to the Gaeco document, based on data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, Brazil recorded 95 robberies and cell phone thefts per hour in 2025, with the state and capital of São Paulo accounting for around 20% of all cases.
In terms of the city, the survey mentions that São Paulo had 154,058 cell phones stolen or stolen in 2025, an average of 17 per hour. Of this total, only around 10 thousand were returned to their owners. For investigators, this low percentage of recovery indicates precisely the existence of this efficient structure to nurture crime.
Guaianases Street
The region of Rua Guaianases, in Santa Ifigênia and Campos Elíseos, appears in the survey as one of the main centers for immediate reception of stolen cell phones. The location had already been mentioned in police operations for years.
According to the MP's material, just through research carried out in police systems with reference to Rua Guaianases, more than 500 records of incidents involving cell phones were found in just over two years. Another point considered decisive was the repetition of tracking signals.
Victims of different, unrelated crimes indicated that their devices ended up in the same region, especially on Guaianases, Aurora and Timbiras streets.
For the MP, this concentration suggests that the area functions as a "logistics center": this is where cell phones arrive, are stored for a short time and then go to other stages of the chain.
The investigation describes two major supply flows for this criminal mechanism:
The first involves devices taken in violent robberies or thefts through breaking vehicle glass, which then end up located in the 25 de Março region, especially in Shopping Mundo Oriental and Galeria Pagé.
The second originates from large events, festivals, shows and public gatherings, with Rua Guaianases being the protagonist. Among the events mentioned in the investigation are Lollapalooza, LGBT+ Pride Parade, Virada Cultural, The Town, Tomorrowland and Só Track Boa.
According to the investigation, in these environments criminals would act with a division of tasks between "scouts" and "collectors". The first steal; the others receive the device quickly to speed up the flow and reduce the risk of being caught.
The 'icloudeiros'
After the device reaches the recipients, a stage considered strategic by the investigation begins, with the work of the so-called "icloudeiros", experts in breaking cell phone protections.
Their function, according to the MP, is to eliminate the link between the device and the original owner. This may include:
Unlocking iCloud or Google accounts;
Password reset;
Factory restoration;
Removal of security locks;
Changing the IMEI, the number that identifies the device to operators.
The initial objective, according to the investigation, is not always to sell the device immediately. Before that, criminals would try to exploit the victim's digital content when accessing banking applications, personal accounts and other services to make PIX, loans and financial fraud.
Operation against cell phone theft in SP — Photo: Reproduction
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