Investigation has exposed how stolen phones in the United Kingdom have found their way to Nigeria to become a major part of the booming mobile phone market in Africa’s largest economy.

Foreign gangs have been under the searchlight of UK police authorities including Mafia groups from Italy and specialist phone thieves and internet fraudsters who not only steal mobile phones but also use their expertise in hitech to defraud UK citizens. Nigerians were linked to this group of phone crook, according to UK investigators.

The investigation was part of a wide-ranging undercover inquest into the crime world in the UK, said to be fuelled by an influx of citizens of Turkey, Nigeria, Jamaica, Italy, Somali, Russia, Albania among others.

Political Economist reports that UK phones, aka ‘UK used’ phones are popular at the Computer Village Ikeja, Lagos ranked as the busiest phone market in the country. Also on sale are thousands of UK-used laptops some of which are in very good shape and functionality.

The UK Sun in a detailed reports said: “Other foreign gangs who have been linked to London include Nigerian mobile cons, Jamaican Yardies and the ‘under-the-radar’ Italian Mafia, to name a few.

A UK Sun investigation revealed in 2018 how Nigerian crime lords are making millions from phones swiped by acid-armed moped thugs on UK streets.

We found the nicked mobiles were being sold to Nigeria’s tech-starved middle classes for up to £560 each after being shipped 4,500 miles from Britain.

Nigerian criminals were also linked to London last year, when three siblings were convicted of laundering nearly £1 million through UK bank accounts for the Black Axe organised crime ring.

The trio, who lived in Greenwich, were working directly for the leader of the gang – which is banned in Nigeria and has been linked to murders, rapes, extortion and drug dealing, the CPS said.

Also in London, the Jamaican Yardies are reported to be continuing a violent legacy, with an IBTimes report claiming their influence “remains in the brutality of street gangs across London”.

And members of the Italian Mafia have infiltrated the capital, too.

“The Mafia invest in real estate and illicit businesses,” says University of Essex criminologist Dr Anna Sergi, who specialises in the Mafia, organised crime and drug trafficking.

“They hide in London as well. There are some Mafia people living in the UK unknown.”

In 2013, infamous Mafia boss Domenico Rancadore, dubbed ‘The Professor’ was rumbled after 19 years on the run when he was found living in Uxbridge, west London, under the alias ‘Marco Skinner’.

He faced extradition to Italy but his case ‘expired’. He is believed to remain in the UK.

Additional reports from UK Sun