PTA Arrests Shopkeeper for Selling Patched, CPID Google Pixels

Crackdown Intensifies in Lahore

In a recent operation led by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal Office in Lahore, a shopkeeper was arrested for selling patched and CPID-modified Google Pixel smartphones. The crackdown reflects PTA’s ongoing efforts to eliminate the illegal trade of devices with tampered IMEIs, following similar raids in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Gujranwala.

Illegal IMEI Alterations and Their Risks

Patched and CPID (custom product identifier) phones have their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers reconfigured—often to mimic devices with valid registration or lower duty statuses. PTA has warned that such tampering enables criminal anonymity, including financial fraud, cybercrime, kidnappings, and other serious offenses .
In one recent raid in Gujranwala, 25 tampered phones—including Google Pixels—were confiscated, and multiple FIRs filed . In Rawalpindi, officials from PTA and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) executed a similar enforcement action at Singapore Plaza, seizing phones and hardware used for IMEI modifications .

The Lahore Arrest

The latest action in Lahore took place at a mobile device retailer suspected of selling CPID and patched Google Pixels. The Lahore Zonal office confiscated several units and detained the shopkeeper, lodging FIRs and commencing legal proceedings .
This step is part of PTA’s broader zero-tolerance approach, which includes raids, arrests, device seizures, and court cases as outlined in a recent ProPakistani report .

Collaboration with NCCIA and FIA

PTA’s enforcement is conducted in close coordination with the NCCIA and FIA. These agencies target not just illegal sellers but also the technical infrastructure that enables phone cloning and IMEI tampering . One PTA category page noted that five individuals had been arrested previously, and FIRs registered, demonstrating the sustained and escalating nature of enforcement .

Public Safety and Awareness Campaign

The PTA is urging the public to remain vigilant. Citizens are encouraged to report any mobile phone tampering activity or suspicious shop behaviour. Unregistered CPID or patched phones are now subject to fines, arrest, and confiscation, as per PTA regulations .
The authority stresses that tampered devices threaten national security and criminal investigations, since altered IMEIs obscure device histories and owner identities.

Experts Weigh In

On r/PakistaniTech, users noted the complex technical challenge of detecting CPID or patched devices. One commented:

“They do and these phones do get caught and imei is blocked forever. All patch, CPID, phones are prone to this.

Another user observed:

“Sealing or buying patch or cpid isn’t banned […] it is illegal, just because they aren’t arresting those shopkeepers doesn’t mean it is allowed.

These exchanges highlight public concern about enforcement consistency and the legality of localized patching services.

Implications for Consumers and Retailers

Local retailers now face significant risk. Possession or sale of patched or CPID devices can result in confiscations, arrests, and prosecution . Uninformed consumers purchasing such devices may find them blocked by PTA or unavailable for legal usage.
The PTA recommends consumers verify devices through official channels and avoid buying phones labelled “PTA-approved” without documentation or verification.

Wider Patterns of Enforcement

This operation in Lahore follows a series of raids across Pakistan. In Gujranwala, officials seized devices with IMEIs linked to brands not officially available, including tampered Google Pixel and Samsung models Rawalpindi’s Singapore Plaza raid similarly targeted patching equipment and devices .

Legal Framework and Next Steps

Under Pakistan’s telecom regulations, IMEI tampering is a criminal offense. The PTA can block tampered devices from network access and pursue criminal charges through courts. FIRs have been filed in each operation, initiating investigations that could lead to prosecution.
PTA confirms that such enforcement actions will continue nationwide, with both technical and legal tools being applied to suppress the market for cloned and patched devices