Black market gangs in UK eye huge profits selling iPads in India prior to launch

London, Mar 17 (ANI): Black market gangs in London reportedly paid people to join the queue and buy the much awaited Apple's iPad3 so they could then be sold on at a profit in India, it has emerged.

People queued through the night outside the computer giant's two London stores to be the first to get their hands on the latest version of the best-selling computer tablet.

But a lucrative black market in operation paid some people as much as 300 pounds to jump the queue.

A 16-year-old student from Stanmore, North-West London, said that she had been fourth in the queue at Apple's flagship store in Regent Street, London, but said someone had paid him 300 pounds to move back.

"Before going through the door It is worth it. I am still 18th in the queue so I will be one of the first to buy an iPad. I am going to sell it though and earn some money," The Daily Mail quoted the student, as saying.

Many appeared to have been paid 10 or 20 pounds to wait in line for hours on behalf of a third party.

According to the paper, an agent, who gave his name as Martin, said he 'hope to get around 70 iPads and that he would be sending them on to India.'

The new iPad will not be on sale officially in India for at least another week.

The new iPad's key selling point is a so-called 'retina display', with a high-definition touchscreen boasting 3.1million pixels, more than an HD television.

The new model, which costs from 399 to 659 pounds in the UK, also comes with an improved camera and a faster processor, making it attractive to those who use it to play games. (ANI)