Mobile phone scam dismantled in Skegness through multi-agency operation

An elaborate mobile phone scam affecting thousands of victims across the UK has been dismantled following a collaborative investigation involving officers in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands Serious Operations Unit (EMSOU).

Four men have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to transfer criminal property as part of Operation Machinize, a National Crime Agency-led initiative targeting organised crime.

The charges follow a series of searches conducted in the Lumley Road area of Skegness, Eastgate area in Louth, and Stratford Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham, on 19th August during the summer. Investigators found evidence of a significant fraud operation tied to money laundering activities, with investigations revealing hundreds of thousands, and potentially millions, of pounds being sent from the UK to Pakistan physically and via Money Service Bureaus.

Ghulam Dastgeer, 34, Yasir Shahzad, 33, and Ashan Sohail, 29, all from Sunningdale Drive, Skegness, along with Muhammed Javed, 25, of North Holme Road, Skegness, have denied the charges. They remain on remand until their trial scheduled for 26th April 2026.

Police say the scam involved cold-calling victims under the guise of offering attractive mobile phone upgrades. Victims would unknowingly provide personal details, including bank account information. Some were tied into contracts without receiving a phone.

During the searches, around £40,000 in cash and numerous brand-new phones were discovered, with the cash being seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Inspector Paul Sands, who coordinated the enforcements under Op Machinize, highlighted the broader impact of such criminal operations:

“The concealment of these items shows their importance to organised crime. Revenue from these products fuels complex criminal networks involved in trafficking, narcotics, and financial fraud — issues that impact us all.

Our visits to premises are more than enforcement; they’re intelligence-gathering opportunities that help us trace operations back to their source and remove unsafe goods from the market."

EMSOU’s Senior Criminal Finance Manager Graham Prince advised the public to be wary of unsolicited offers and calls:

“We see the cost of frauds of this kind mount up because it can often be hard for people to distinguish between a genuine offer and a scam.

The rule of thumb is to be naturally wary of unsolicited contact from people trying to sell you wares, offer services or tempt you into upgrades.

Criminals use various methods and means to con people, so be vigilant to their attempts."

He added that targeting organised crime groups at their core helps disrupt multiple activities, including tax evasion, money laundering, counterfeit goods, and other forms of exploitation.

The Operation Machinize case remains ongoing as investigations gather further intelligence connected to wider criminal networks.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.