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2w ago

France Expands Mobile Phone Confiscation Policy to Combat Drug Trafficking

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has directed prosecutors nationwide to seize phones used in drug transactions, building on a Bayonne pilot program targeting encrypted delivery networks.

Le ministre de la justice, Gérald Darmanin, a annoncé jeudi 24 avril la généralisation de l’expérimentation de la confiscation des téléphones portables des consommateurs de drogues.
La police pourrait bientôt confisquer les téléphones portables des consommateurs de drogue.
Gérald Darmanin dans la cour de l'Elysée, à Paris, en mars 2025.
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Overview

  • The French government will now systematically confiscate mobile phones from drug users and dealers if the devices are used to facilitate transactions via encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
  • Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin issued a circular to all prosecutors on April 24, instructing them to implement this measure alongside the existing 200-euro fine for drug possession.
  • The policy builds on a pilot program launched in Bayonne in mid-April, where phones linked to drug transactions have been routinely seized and confiscated.
  • Authorities aim to deter drug trafficking by targeting delivery-style networks that rely on encrypted communications, often referred to as 'Ubershit' or 'Ubercoke.'
  • Under French law, seized assets, including phones, vehicles, and cash, can be sold before a conviction, with officials viewing this as a stronger deterrent than fines or prosecutions.