Delhi customs officials recently confiscated 12 iPhone 16 Pro Max units from four passengers arriving from Dubai on an Indigo flight on October 1. The group was caught attempting to smuggle the high-demand phones, which are priced significantly lower in the UAE compared to India.
The base price for the iPhone 16 Pro Max in the UAE is Dh5,099, while in India, it retails for Rs144,900. The price difference has fueled an influx of international buyers seeking to profit from reselling the devices at a higher price in their home countries, with some paying premiums of up to Dh2,500.
According to a Khaleej Times report, many resellers faced substantial financial losses as market saturation caused prices to drop dramatically, with some losing up to Dh200,000.