[ndt]

"Without their chargers??"

If I recall, they were also removing the batteries which would seem to support their assertion that they were selling them as parts (noted from post #1). A cell phone without a battery is useless for anything including a detonator.

[Idaho Whacko]

The battery current would be needed to use them as initiators, however if they were building initiators, they would remove the batteries for safety while they were modifying the phones.