In a pre-dawn operation, Tarascon prison officials, led by Director Fabienne Gontiers, conduct a targeted search to uncover contraband, focusing on the third floor due to recent violence. Collaborating with specialized Éris units, they find hidden mobile phones and illegal substances among inmates. Despite existing security measures, challenges like outdated technology and drone smuggling persist. The government plans to enhance jamming capabilities and isolate drug traffickers to combat these ongoing issues.
Inside the Tarascon Prison: A Surprise Search Operation
Before dawn breaks, the director of Tarascon prison, located in the Bouches-du-Rhône, gathers her team for a crucial monthly search. “We’re focusing on the third floor due to recent violent incidents,” explains Fabienne Gontiers, the facility’s director. This operation, conducted under the watchful eye of the Éris teams—specialized intervention units for high-stakes missions—aims to uncover hazardous items such as weapons, drugs, and mobile phones.
With stealth, a team of twenty law enforcement officers navigates the prison’s labyrinthine corridors. “Keep it down, everyone!” an officer instructs. It’s 6 a.m., and the inmates remain asleep in their individual cells, with 600 men currently serving sentences exceeding two years. As an officer opens a cell door, he commands, “Rise and shine. We’re conducting a cell search. Face the wall and spread your legs,” initiating a thorough pat-down to ensure the inmate is not concealing any dangerous items.
The Search Unfolds: Discoveries and Consequences
Once inside the cell, the search intensifies. The Éris agents meticulously inspect not just the obvious hiding spots but also less expected areas. “The sink can be hollow; it might be a hiding spot,” one agent notes. Meanwhile, in a nearby cell, the team uncovers a mobile phone cleverly concealed inside a fridge. “This is the latest popular hiding place,” the officer reveals. “Inmates often dismantle lamps to stash their phones.”
Last year alone, over 53,000 mobile phones were confiscated from prisons across the country. “Expect disciplinary action if you’re caught with a phone,” warns the officer, highlighting that the inmate could face 20 days in a disciplinary unit and potentially five more years of incarceration for possession. The challenge is significant, as inmates can continue illegal activities, including trafficking and domestic violence, from behind bars. “We’ve received complaints from inmates about harassment over the phone, prompting us to conduct targeted searches,” Fabienne Gontiers explains.
These targeted operations can occur daily, but inmates do have the right to make calls via fixed booths in cells and communal areas, with all contacts approved by prison administration and monitored for charges.
After an hour and a half of searching, tensions mount as the team concludes its operation: from 14 searched cells, three smartphones, a USB drive, and illegal substances were discovered. While some prisons utilize mobile phone jamming technology, only about twenty facilities in France are equipped with such systems. “No security measure is infallible. We rely on jammers, barriers, and the vigilance of our staff, alongside regular searches,” Gontiers emphasizes.
Outside the prison, Mathieu Merlin, a guard and representative of the national FO penitentiary union, critiques the outdated technology in use. “When the initial contracts were signed, 5G wasn’t even a consideration, and now certain phones can still communicate,” he states. Drones have become a concerning method for smuggling contraband into the facility. “I witnessed a drone delivering a package right above the prison, lowering it with a rope to the intended recipient,” he shares.
This phenomenon is becoming alarmingly common. Inmates utilize their phones to share snippets of their lives on social media, showcasing everything from culinary exploits to clever ways of moving items within the prison. One inmate even streamed live on TikTok, admitting, “I have to be cautious; every time I go live, I get searched. Recently, I had a phone taken, but I currently have two others. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse.” He notes that while some guards are aware of this activity, they often turn a blind eye as long as no harm is done.
Devices like drones and miniaturized phones—small enough to evade detection—are often smuggled in with the help of guards or during family visits. Despite the challenges, these phones provide valuable insights for law enforcement, allowing them to monitor suspects. In response to these issues, the government plans to focus on drug traffickers, isolating them in secure areas and enhancing communication jamming. Additionally, 90 prisons are slated to receive anti-drone technology within the next year.