In an effort to enhance prison security, French authorities have launched a campaign against tiny contraband phones that allow inmates to orchestrate criminal activities from within correctional facilities.
French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Smuggled Mini Phones in Prisons
French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Smuggled Mini Phones in Prisons
Nationwide Operation "Prison Break" targets illegal communication devices enabling criminal activity behind bars.
The French government has initiated a comprehensive operation aimed at eliminating the use of minuscule contraband phones crafted in China, which are reportedly being used by inmates to conduct various criminal enterprises from within prison walls. These diminutive devices, comparable in size to a cigarette lighter, have been described as highly efficient at evading detection by standard metal detectors.
Dubbed “Operation Prison Break,” the campaign was unveiled by the cybercrime division of the Paris prosecutor's office, allowing prison officials to carry out checks within 500 cells across 66 correctional facilities. Reports indicate that these mini phones, informally known as "suppositories" among inmates due to their ease of concealability, have been linked to serious criminal activities such as drug distribution, extortion, arson, and even attempted murder.
Following a successful inquiry, authorities have halted the operations of a French company named Oportik, identified as the supplier of these devices, leading to the arrest of three employees. Oportik was allegedly responsible for distributing around 5,000 of these miniature phones, with the least expensive unit priced at €20.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed a commitment to intensifying efforts against drug gangs and other criminal networks, emphasizing that many key figures continue to orchestrate illegal activities from within prison. In 2024 alone, authorities confiscated a staggering 40,000 mobile phones inside various prison facilities. While typical devices are often delivered via aerial methods or smuggled in by corrupt staff, phone-jamming technology, which is employed in some institutions, faces uncertainty regarding its effectiveness.
Although these tiny phones are legally sold in France, the act of supplying a phone to a prisoner is deemed illegal. The Paris prosecutor's office has shared intelligence on tracking these devices with the EU judicial cooperation body, Eurojust, to facilitate a broader clampdown across member states. This latest effort comes amidst escalating pressures on French authorities to fortify prison security and combat the rising tide of criminal activity facilitated by technology from within prison walls.
Dubbed “Operation Prison Break,” the campaign was unveiled by the cybercrime division of the Paris prosecutor's office, allowing prison officials to carry out checks within 500 cells across 66 correctional facilities. Reports indicate that these mini phones, informally known as "suppositories" among inmates due to their ease of concealability, have been linked to serious criminal activities such as drug distribution, extortion, arson, and even attempted murder.
Following a successful inquiry, authorities have halted the operations of a French company named Oportik, identified as the supplier of these devices, leading to the arrest of three employees. Oportik was allegedly responsible for distributing around 5,000 of these miniature phones, with the least expensive unit priced at €20.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin expressed a commitment to intensifying efforts against drug gangs and other criminal networks, emphasizing that many key figures continue to orchestrate illegal activities from within prison. In 2024 alone, authorities confiscated a staggering 40,000 mobile phones inside various prison facilities. While typical devices are often delivered via aerial methods or smuggled in by corrupt staff, phone-jamming technology, which is employed in some institutions, faces uncertainty regarding its effectiveness.
Although these tiny phones are legally sold in France, the act of supplying a phone to a prisoner is deemed illegal. The Paris prosecutor's office has shared intelligence on tracking these devices with the EU judicial cooperation body, Eurojust, to facilitate a broader clampdown across member states. This latest effort comes amidst escalating pressures on French authorities to fortify prison security and combat the rising tide of criminal activity facilitated by technology from within prison walls.
