Police are on the hunt for members of a suspected criminal syndicate allegedly involved in a phone scam valued at more than $5.35 million.
Officers claim the delivery of more than $4.5 million worth of fraudulently obtained devices has been thwarted.
However, more than $850,000 worth of phones are said to have been delivered, activated, and subsequently sold offshore before officers swooped.
ACT Policing revealed the existence of the alleged criminal enterprise on Friday, when a man accused of involvement was remanded in custody.
Taylor man Harjeet Singh, 23, did not apply for bail when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court, charged with 23 counts of obtaining property by deception.
Reading out Singh's charges on Friday, magistrate Robert Cook said the man was accused of dishonestly obtaining 23 iPhones that belonged to Telstra and Vodafone.
Telstra and Australia Post assisted ACT Policing investigators in their investigation.
Defence lawyer Carley Hitchins told the court Singh may apply for bail at a later date, pending other possible arrests.
Police said in a statement on Friday that they were "actively seeking" other people allegedly involved in the syndicate and further charges were likely to be laid.
It is understood police believe a total of almost 2000 fraudulent mobile phone orders, which were destined for the ACT, were placed between December 2022 and last month.
Singh is set to return to court on July 17.
