A nationwide search aims to thwart criminal activities carried out from within prison walls following the rise of nearly undetectable, illicit communication devices.
**French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Tiny Contraband Phones in Prisons**
**French Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Tiny Contraband Phones in Prisons**
French police launch Operation Prison Break to combat the use of mini Chinese-made mobile phones by inmates.
The French government has ramped up efforts to control the infiltration of minuscule Chinese-made mobile phones into prisons, following the alarming revelation that inmates have been using these devices to orchestrate criminal activities from behind bars. Known for their compact size, similar to that of a cigarette lighter, these phones are primarily plastic and can evade detection by standard metal detectors.
Dubbed "Operation Prison Break", the campaign led by the cyber crime division of the Paris prosecutor's office permits officials to search approximately 500 prison cells across 66 facilities as part of the crackdown. Reports indicate that these phones have become alarmingly effective tools for prisoners, enabling them to engage in serious crimes, including drug trafficking, racketeering, and even murder plots. The infamous devices have earned the moniker "suppositories" within prison walls due to their concealability.
The source of these phones, a company identified as Oportik, has been shut down, with three employees apprehended. It is estimated that around 5,000 of these phones were distributed in the market, where the cost per device is shockingly low at around €20 (£16.84). France's Justice Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has expressed a commitment to dismantling drug gangs, stating that prison leaders should not be able to continue their illicit operations post-conviction.
In 2024, roughly 40,000 mobile phones were confiscated from French prisons, with alternatives being thrown over walls or supplied via drones and corrupt staff. Although some facilities utilize phone-jamming technologies, doubts regarding their effectiveness persist. Relatedly, the tiny phones themselves are not illegal in France, but supplying them to prisoners is strictly against the law. Information regarding the tracking of Oportik's phones has been shared with the EU's judicial agency Eurojust, enabling other nations to replicate similar enforcement actions.
Dubbed "Operation Prison Break", the campaign led by the cyber crime division of the Paris prosecutor's office permits officials to search approximately 500 prison cells across 66 facilities as part of the crackdown. Reports indicate that these phones have become alarmingly effective tools for prisoners, enabling them to engage in serious crimes, including drug trafficking, racketeering, and even murder plots. The infamous devices have earned the moniker "suppositories" within prison walls due to their concealability.
The source of these phones, a company identified as Oportik, has been shut down, with three employees apprehended. It is estimated that around 5,000 of these phones were distributed in the market, where the cost per device is shockingly low at around €20 (£16.84). France's Justice Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has expressed a commitment to dismantling drug gangs, stating that prison leaders should not be able to continue their illicit operations post-conviction.
In 2024, roughly 40,000 mobile phones were confiscated from French prisons, with alternatives being thrown over walls or supplied via drones and corrupt staff. Although some facilities utilize phone-jamming technologies, doubts regarding their effectiveness persist. Relatedly, the tiny phones themselves are not illegal in France, but supplying them to prisoners is strictly against the law. Information regarding the tracking of Oportik's phones has been shared with the EU's judicial agency Eurojust, enabling other nations to replicate similar enforcement actions.
