These mini-telephones are a hit in prison, but more for a long time
The mini L8STAR BM70 phone. © L8Star
Despite some exceptions, for several years the smartphones have been always larger. A fact that bothers many users, starting with people in prison who wish to communicate illegally in all discretion. But to believe the results of the operation “Prison Break” led by the Cybercrime section of the Paris prosecutor’s office, which led simultaneous searches in 66 places this Tuesday, May 20, a solution is strongly used in prison: mini phones.
Telephones the size of a lighter
According to the people behind this operation, which searched nearly 500 cells, no less than 5,000 phones of this kind, the size of a lighter, are in circulation. In addition to their reduced size, these devices are undetectable by safety gates and other metal detectors. According to BFM, the company with an explicit name Oportik would buy these kinds of devices from other sites, and then move them, that is to say to remove the metal parts before sending them to prisoners.
A phone the size of a lighter. © Capture screen / Paris parquet
The site of this company, which sold other accessories designed for “guaranteed discretion”, such as “undetectable” plastic bracelet chargers, has since been closed. There were also several types of phones, sometimes only capable of sending and receiving calls and messages, but some are sold as 4G compatible.
Some of the products sold by Oportik. © Capture screen the digital
How many other sites like?
What discreetly communicate from his cell to another place from a prison or even the outside, for a large number of illicit operations. To justify its activity, in its section “who are we”, Oportik claims to aim for professions which must regularly pass security gantry: “Within your professions, the regular passage through safety gates forces you to remove your mobile phones and other accessories regularly. Simplify your life and opt for a bulky and discreet equipment.“On the company’s Snapchat social network, it is many prisoners who promote their products.
THE @parquetdeparis Awarded a so -called “prison break” operation of simultaneous searches in 66 places of detention throughout the territory, aimed at seizing the miniature phones put into circulation by a Chinese company and sold in France. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/kyvx3yy7H8
– Paris parquet (@parquetdeparis) May 20, 2025
According to Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin, in 2024, no less than 40,000 mobile phones were seized. With the discovery of these mini phones, there is no doubt that the figure will be raised again in 2025. In addition, the Paris prosecutor’s office has arrested three suppliers in France and several devices are appraised by the National Agency for Information Systems Systems (ANSSI) to check if there is the suction of data abroad via backdoors. The Paris prosecutor’s office finally indicates that it has communicated to its partners the operating mode for the location of mini phones so that similar operations are carried out.
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