French prosecutors aim to curb illegal operations inside prisons by clamping down on miniature phones designed for covert communication.
French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Miniature Smuggled Phones in Prisons
French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Miniature Smuggled Phones in Prisons
Nationwide initiative targets tiny devices facilitating criminal activities from within detention centers.
French law enforcement has initiated a comprehensive effort to dismantle a channel of communication that enables incarcerated criminals to conduct illicit operations using small, covert mobile devices sourced from China. The plastic phones, comparable in size to a cigarette lighter, which have become notoriously difficult to detect through standard metal detectors, are now the focal point of "Operation Prison Break," as recently declared by the Paris prosecutor's office's cyber crime unit.
This operation authorizes prison staff to execute searches in over 500 cells across 66 detention facilities nationwide, with reports suggesting that the miniature devices, dubbed "suppositories" by inmates for their ease of concealment, have been tied to serious criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, arson, and even attempted murder.
The company responsible for distributing these phones, Oportik, has been halted from trading, and three of its employees have been arrested amid accusations that approximately 5,000 of these phones were sold at a minimal price of just €20 (£16.84). Authorities emphasize that these illicit communications have severely undermined prison security, allowing gang leaders to orchestrate operations while serving their sentences.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has expressed a commitment to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in France, noting that many criminal masterminds remain operational even when incarcerated. Statistics reveal that in 2024 alone, about 40,000 mobile phones were confiscated from prisons, with traditional devices making their way inside via drone drops or into the hands of inmates through corrupt staff.
Concerns about the effectiveness of existing phone-jamming technologies in prisons have prompted this latest crackdown, as French authorities strive to adapt to the ongoing challenge posed by these miniature devices. The prosecutor’s office has shared insights on tracking Oportik's phones with Eurojust, the EU's judicial cooperation agency, encouraging other member states to undertake similar actions to secure their respective prison systems.
