60,000 Mobile Phones Suspended Amidst Crackdown on Undeclared Imports

Around 60,000 mobile phones have been temporarily suspended by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) as part of a nationwide effort to enforce mobile import regulations and curb customs violations.

The suspensions were made under a new electronic monitoring system launched on January 1st, 2025, in cooperation with the Egyptian Customs Authority. The system is designed to regulate mobile phone imports, track registration and taxation, and prevent the circulation of devices brought into the country illegally or without proper declaration.

Phones flagged by the system will remain deactivated until verification procedures are completed. According to the NTRA, 47,000 devices initially suspended have since been reactivated after being confirmed as compliant, while another 13,000 remain suspended due to confirmed violations.

The NTRA also reaffirmed that travellers are still permitted to bring one mobile phone into the country without paying taxes, provided the device is declared at the point of entry. Since the system’s launch, 650,000 devices have been exempted under this rule. However, a recent review found that some exemptions were acquired through unofficial channels, prompting further scrutiny.

The NTRA says the electronic system enables better oversight of mobile phone imports, helping to reduce smuggling and ensure that all phones activated on Egyptian networks have met customs and regulatory requirements.