French police are on a mission to eliminate small, covert Chinese-made phones that inmates utilize to orchestrate illegal activities, prompting a nation-wide crackdown in prisons.
French Authorities Target Tiny Chinese Phones Used by Inmates
French Authorities Target Tiny Chinese Phones Used by Inmates
France intensifies crackdown on miniature contraband devices enabling crime from behind bars.
The contraband phones, comparable in size to a cigarette lighter, have drawn the attention of French law enforcement as authorities seek to curb the influence of criminals operating from behind bars. The Paris prosecutor's office has initiated "Operation Prison Break," mobilizing prison officers to Search 500 cells across 66 detention centers.
Known colloquially as "suppositories" due to their ease of concealment, these all-plastic devices are notorious for evading metal detectors. Investigations indicate that these phones have been instrumental in facilitating serious crimes, such as drug trafficking, racketeering, arson, and attempted murder, while inmates are incarcerated.
The French supplier involved, Oportik, has been halted from operations, and three employees have been arrested. Approximately 5,000 of these miniature phones have reportedly been sold, with prices starting as low as €20 (£16.84).
French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has pledged to combat drug gangs and other criminal enterprises, asserting that leaders often maintain their operations even post-incarceration. In 2024 alone, authorities confiscated 40,000 mobile phones in prisons, with conventional devices being smuggled in via drones, thrown over prison walls, or delivered by corrupt personnel.
While jamming technologies are employed in certain facilities, questions remain regarding their effectiveness. The prosecutor's office has also communicated the tracing methods for the Oportik phones to the EU's judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, facilitating similar worldwide initiatives against such contraband.
This latest effort marks a significant step towards enhancing security protocols within the French prison system amid increasing scrutiny from the public.
Known colloquially as "suppositories" due to their ease of concealment, these all-plastic devices are notorious for evading metal detectors. Investigations indicate that these phones have been instrumental in facilitating serious crimes, such as drug trafficking, racketeering, arson, and attempted murder, while inmates are incarcerated.
The French supplier involved, Oportik, has been halted from operations, and three employees have been arrested. Approximately 5,000 of these miniature phones have reportedly been sold, with prices starting as low as €20 (£16.84).
French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has pledged to combat drug gangs and other criminal enterprises, asserting that leaders often maintain their operations even post-incarceration. In 2024 alone, authorities confiscated 40,000 mobile phones in prisons, with conventional devices being smuggled in via drones, thrown over prison walls, or delivered by corrupt personnel.
While jamming technologies are employed in certain facilities, questions remain regarding their effectiveness. The prosecutor's office has also communicated the tracing methods for the Oportik phones to the EU's judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, facilitating similar worldwide initiatives against such contraband.
This latest effort marks a significant step towards enhancing security protocols within the French prison system amid increasing scrutiny from the public.
