The French prosecutor's office has initiated Operation Prison Break, focusing on tiny, almost undetectable Chinese-made phones used by inmates to conduct criminal activities. With thousands of these devices in circulation, the operation aims to enhance prison security and eliminate ongoing crime orchestrated from behind bars.
France Launches Major Operation Against Hidden Miniature Phones in Prisons
France Launches Major Operation Against Hidden Miniature Phones in Prisons
French authorities intensify efforts to tackle contraband Chinese-made phones aiding crime from inside prisons, as investigations reveal extensive misuse by inmates.
French authorities are embarking on an extensive crackdown against a network of contraband miniature Chinese-made telephones, utilized by inmates to facilitate criminal activities while incarcerated. The tiny devices, which are roughly the size of a cigarette lighter, have been flagged as nearly invisible to conventional metal detectors, making their smuggling a significant issue within the prison system.
Launched by the cyber crime division of the Paris prosecutor's office on Tuesday, Operation Prison Break grants prison officers the authority to search through 500 cells across 66 detention centers in a bid to recover these illicit devices. According to reports from Le Monde, inmates have dubbed these phones "suppositories" due to their simplistic concealment.
A spokesperson from the prosecutor's office stated, "Investigations have established that some of these telephones were used to commit crimes from inside detention, including drugs trafficking, racketeering, arson, and attempted murder," underscoring the severe implications of the issue. The Paris-based Oportik company, believed to be the supplier, has been halted from operations, with three employees arrested. It is estimated that around 5,000 units, selling for as low as €20 (£16.84), were distributed prior to the crackdown.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has committed to a stronger stance against drug gangs and criminal organizations that continue to operate from within prison walls. In 2024 alone, approximately 40,000 mobile phones were confiscated in French prisons, with traditional devices often smuggled over walls or dropped by drones, while others are sneaked in by corrupt prison personnel. Although phone-jamming technology is in use at certain facilities, its effectiveness remains in question.
The prosecutor's office has coordinated with the EU’s judicial cooperation agency, Eurojust, sharing intelligence on the traced Oportik phones to assist other countries in enacting similar measures against such contraband activities. The growing pressure on French authorities to enhance prison security has highlighted the urgent need to confront these pervasive networks of crime flourishing behind bars.
