South Africa: Inmates Detected Using Smuggled Cell Phones
The Department of Correctional Services has revealed that fraudulent activities were conducted openly during regular hours.
Recently, inmates at the Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre were caught using smuggled mobile phones to execute scams targeting the public from their cells.
These scams were uncovered during a specialized raid led by National Commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, which exposed a criminal network operating during the day.
Inmates’ Sophisticated Phone Concealment Techniques Discovered
The scamming operation relied on a network of hidden mobile phones that inmates had successfully smuggled into the facility.
During the weekend raid, investigators discovered that prisoners had created elaborate hiding spots within their cells.
These concealment areas were specifically designed to keep the communication devices out of sight from routine inspections.
The Department of Correctional Services pointed out that these fraudulent activities were carried out openly during regular hours.
This situation raises concerns about how such extensive phone-based criminal operations could operate undetected within a secure environment.
“What is particularly concerning is that these illegal activities were conducted in broad daylight, raising significant questions about lapses in vigilance and ongoing monitoring by officials,” the department stated.
Mobile Phone Evidence Undergoing Forensic Analysis
The confiscated mobile phones now serve as crucial evidence for understanding the scale and methods of the prison-based scamming operation.
According to the department, forensic experts will analyze the devices to uncover the full extent of the fraudulent activities.
They will also work to identify victims whom the inmate-run scheme may have targeted.
The analysis of the phones will help authorities understand how inmates managed to maintain external communications while incarcerated.
Cell Phone Smuggling Exposes Security Weaknesses
The inmates’ ability to not only smuggle phones into the facility but also to operate them extensively without detection has prompted calls for accountability from facility management.
Thobakgale has requested a detailed report from Baviaanspoort’s management, explaining how such sophisticated phone-based criminal activities could have thrived under their oversight.
The facility’s leadership must urgently develop strategies to prevent future mobile phone smuggling and enhance detection measures.
Inmate Scam Network Disrupted Through Transfers
All inmates identified as participants in the cellphone scamming operation have been transferred to the maximum-security unit at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.
This swift action was intended to dismantle the criminal network and prevent ongoing fraudulent activities through any remaining hidden communication channels.
The revelation of the cellphone scam has intensified the department’s efforts to eliminate mobile phone smuggling.
“The department reiterates that ongoing raids are part of a broader, unwavering campaign to eradicate contraband and dismantle criminal networks operating from within,” officials stated.
They emphasized that preventing contraband phones from entering facilities is as critical as removing existing devices.
“Any official found complicit in smuggling will face the full force of the law, with no leniency granted,” the department warned.
It acknowledged that staff involvement may be necessary for successful phone smuggling operations.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the public from prison scams.
“Correctional Services remains dedicated to maintaining safe, secure, and corruption-free facilities,” it concluded.
