• The operation, called 'Phone post', has resulted in one person arrested and two investigated

• 17 high-end mobile phones, a smart translator and various currencies were recovered, with a total value of more than 7,000 euros.

• The seized phones were reported stolen in tourist areas of the island, and were to be sent by mail to Romania, well hidden among different items of clothing and food packages.

March 15, 2024.- Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and the Civil Guard, within the framework of the 'Phone Post' operation, have recovered 17 high-end phones that had been stolen in tourist areas of the island of Tenerife and that were going to be sent by mail to Romania. One person was arrested in the operation and two others were investigated.

The investigation began after members of both bodies inspected postal packages on the island of Tenerife, within the framework of fiscal protection functions for the control of customs premises. Following the discovery of the allegedly stolen mobile phones, a joint investigation was launched to discover those responsible for the thefts and the owners of the phones.

As a result of the investigations, three people related to the events were located and identified on February 26. Two of them were investigated and the third was arrested and brought before the Court of Instruction on Duty in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Those involved were seized with a smart translator and various currencies worth more than 7,000 euros.

After carrying out various procedures, it was possible to contact some of the legitimate owners, some of them in their country of origin abroad, and even to return some of the terminals.

The modus operandi used by the perpetrators of the robberies is mainly the one known as 'theft by accident', which consists of taking advantage of any type of distraction or even provoking situations in order to gain access to the belongings of their victims. The priority targets chosen are foreigners on holiday on the island. Once a considerable number of valuable objects have been collected, they are sent by post, under false declaration, to another EU country.

The operation was carried out by the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Tax Agency and the Fiscal and Border Investigation Analysis Unit (UDAIFF) of the Fiscal and Border Protection Section.