Police said on Wednesday that they have arrested two men for registering more than 8,000 mobile phones using forged identities of foreigners.

The suspects are believed to have sold the mobile phones to a 50-year-old surnamed Lee as well as to other brokers who used them for illegal activities, such as fraud and phone scams.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, a 38-year-old suspect surnamed Ban allegedly signed contracts on more than 4,000 mobile phones between February and July by illegally using copies of foreign passports that he obtained from a Chinese broker.

The suspect then sold the mobile phones for around 60,000 won ($50) each to Lee and other brokers here. Ban is accused of gaining some 200 million won through the scam.

Another suspect surnamed Kim is also accused of making 260 million won by selling some 4,000 mobile phones from November 2011 to July this year.

The police said they have also booked 10 retailers without detention for the case, and are now searching for the broker Lee and other suspects.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)