France to Deploy cell Jammers in Prisons After Seizure of 80,000 Illegal Mobile Phones

French authorities are intensifying efforts to curb illegal mobile phone use in prisons after nearly 80,000 mobile devices were confiscated in detention facilities last year. Similar challenges have emerged elsewhere: India had already deployed relatively advanced mobile signal jamming systems in prisons years earlier, highlighting that contraband communication behind bars is a long-standing global issue rather than a uniquely French one. The scale of the problem in France has now prompted Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin to unveil a new strategy aimed at achieving what he calls “zero mobile phones behind bars.”

In recent years, inmates have increasingly used drones to smuggle mobile phones, drugs, and other prohibited items into prisons, bypassing traditional security measures. To counter this growing threat, the French government plans to invest millions of euros in upgrading prison security infrastructure. These upgrades include reinforced window protections, next-generation X-ray scanners, and signal jamming systems designed to block mobile and internet connections inside correctional facilities.

During a visit to La Santé prison in Paris, Darmanin acknowledged that mobile phones and narcotics remain widespread behind bars. Prison officials report that in some facilities, up to two-thirds of inmates consume drugs inside their cells. “The public cannot understand how prisoners are still able to make phone calls or use drugs while incarcerated,” the minister stated, calling the situation “completely unacceptable.”

Cutting Off Dangerous Criminals from the Outside World

The new security measures will focus primarily on high-security prisons housing the most dangerous offenders. Darmanin stressed that cutting off communication with the outside world is critical, particularly after recent cases in Marseille, where a suspected drug kingpin allegedly ordered a contract killing from inside prison.

French police have also uncovered hundreds of miniature mobile phones, many imported from China and deliberately marketed as undetectable during prison entry checks. These devices have enabled convicted criminals to continue running illegal operations from behind bars.

By deploying prison Jamming devices and strengthening physical security controls, France aims to close critical gaps in prison management, weaken organized crime networks, and restore public confidence in the justice system.