Argentina Extends Prison Cell Phone Blocking to Curb Inmate-Directed Crime

Argentina is expanding a crucial measure to block mobile phone signals within provincial prisons, aiming to sever the virtual communication channels used by inmates to orchestrate crimes.

The National Communications Entity (Enacom) adopted the resolution, extending a system previously used in federal facilities. Participating provinces can now formally request the blocking of IMEI, IMSI, and phone lines activated within penitentiary areas. Strict technical safeguards are in place to ensure the blocking does not disrupt legitimate communications outside prison walls.

This institutional response addresses a long-standing problem that has been treated too lightly. The ability of incarcerated individuals to wield influence and direct criminal enterprises from their cells has had tragic consequences for the public. The government asserts that the goal is not to isolate inmates from their families or lawyers, but to prohibit the use of phones as tools for managing criminal organizations, selecting victims, and coordinating illicit activities.

The urgency of this issue intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. What began as a temporary measure to facilitate family contact during isolation evolved in some districts into a widespread problem, with tens of thousands of phones reportedly in the hands of inmates in Buenos Aires province alone. Judicial officials and prison authorities acknowledge that social media use by inmates is unauthorized and that these devices have been consistently used for criminal purposes, often with apparent complicity.

High-profile cases, such as the 'Banda del Millón' in Buenos Aires and 'Los Mono' in Rosario, have starkly illustrated the problem. Investigations revealed that these groups planned and directed robberies from their prison cells. Judicial actions, including phone bans and the implementation of signal blockers, were necessary to halt their continued criminal activity from behind bars.