Kochi: Around 70,500 mobile connections have been deactivated in Kerala over the past year using the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system, part of the Union government’s citizen-centric digital security platform Sanchar Saathi under the Department of Telecommunications.

Nationwide, 47.04 lakh connections have been cancelled since the platform was launched in January last year.

The blocked numbers include those linked to cyber financial crimes, fraudulent connections issued without the subscriber’s knowledge and SIMs that failed KYC verification.

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During the same period, a special drive by the state cyber police helped trace 46,357 mobile phones reported lost or stolen in Kerala through CEIR. Of these, about 17,000 devices have been returned to their owners. Police have asked claimants to contact the stations where they filed complaints to complete recovery formalities. Kollam Rural Police recovered the highest number of handsets in the state.

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CEIR enables authorities to block, track and recover lost or stolen mobile phones using their IMEI numbers and can render devices inoperable across networks nationwide. To use the system, users must file a police complaint, obtain an FIR copy and register the device details, including the mobile and IMEI numbers, on the CEIR portal.

Once blocked, a stolen phone cannot be used by anyone else, and police can track its location. If the device is recovered, it can be unblocked through the portal.

Consumers are also advised to verify the IMEI number on the portal before purchasing a second-hand phone to ensure it is not stolen.