New Delhi – The number of Tihar mobile phones seized has reached alarming levels in 2025, with Delhi prison administration recovering over 300 devices from inmates in the past ten months. This represents nearly double the number confiscated during the same period last year, raising serious concerns about prison security and the effectiveness of anti-contraband measures, according to senior prison officers.
Dramatic Increase Despite Intelligence Cell
The surge in Tihar mobile phones seized comes despite the formation of a dedicated Intelligence Cell specifically designed to curb smuggling of contraband inside the prison complex. This paradoxical increase has prompted authorities to reassess their strategies and investigate how sophisticated smuggling networks continue to operate within what should be a secure environment.
Officers maintained that while the 2025 numbers appear alarming, the overall frequency of cases has actually declined compared to 2023, when over 500 mobile phones were recovered between January and October. In 2024, following the establishment of the Intelligence Cell and regular raids, the number of Tihar mobile phones seized dropped to around 150-200 devices during the same period, according to data shared by senior officers.
Intelligence Cell Structure and Operations
The Intelligence Cell responsible for tracking Tihar mobile phones seized operates under the leadership of a superintendent-level officer. The team includes jail staff, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel who conduct weekly raids across various prison blocks.
“The cell, led by a superintendent-level officer, includes jail staff, CRPF and ITBP personnel who conduct weekly raids,” a senior prison officer explained, speaking on condition of anonymity. The officer attributed this year’s surge in Tihar mobile phones seized to evolving smuggling tactics employed by criminal networks.
Gangster Networks and Threats
The increase in Tihar mobile phones seized has been accompanied by an escalation in gangster sophistication and boldness. “We have noticed a spike this year since gangsters are finding new ways to avoid being caught. Also, gangsters outside now know about the cell,” the officer revealed.
The situation has become so serious that two staff members from the Intelligence Cell have received threats from gangster networks. “Two of our staff from the cell have also received threats from gangsters. Complaints are with the DG Prison,” the officer added, highlighting the personal risks faced by security personnel.
High-Risk Jail No. 13
According to police sources, the majority of Tihar mobile phones seized this year were recovered from Jail No. 13, which houses high-risk inmates from notorious criminal organizations including the Nandu gang, Chhenu gang, and Bishnoi gang. These groups are known for violent rivalries inside the prison complex, making mobile phone access particularly dangerous as it enables coordination of criminal activities both inside and outside prison walls.
Also Read: Delhi Air Quality AQI: Alarming Season’s Worst at 366
The concentration of Tihar mobile phones seized in Jail No. 13 suggests that organized crime networks have established sophisticated supply chains specifically targeting this high-security facility.
Creative Concealment Methods
Prison officials have discovered that inmates employ increasingly creative methods to hide contraband devices. The Tihar mobile phones seized typically include China-made Kechaoda devices, which are particularly popular among inmates due to their compact size.
“Inmates are very sharp. They get these China-made Kechaoda phones through their lawyers or families. These are thumb-sized phones and can be hidden in any body cavity,” one officer explained. The miniature size of these devices makes detection extremely challenging during routine searches.
Soap Decoy Tactic
Perhaps most ingeniously, inmates have developed a decoy system to protect their devices. “Some inmates, in collusion with others, switch real devices with soap-carved phones. Many times, when we conduct raids based on confirmed intel, they throw away the real phones and give us soap ones,” the officer revealed.
This tactic has significantly complicated efforts to increase the number of Tihar mobile phones seized, as security personnel must now contend with deliberate misdirection in addition to basic concealment.
Notable Cases and Disciplinary Action
Last month during Diwali, gangster Deepak Boxer was among the Tihar mobile phones seized cases when he was caught with a device inside Jail No. 14. Boxer, who was arrested by the FBI in Mexico in 2023 and subsequently extradited to India, was found using one of the compact Kechaoda devices that function even in low-signal areas despite the presence of jammers.
Prison authorities have announced that disciplinary action will be taken in each case involving Tihar mobile phones seized, based on inquiry findings against the inmates. Action will also be taken against any staff members found complicit in smuggling operations. Police will lodge FIRs where required, depending on the outcome of these investigations.
Additional Contraband Recovery
Beyond the Tihar mobile phones seized, officials reported recovering other dangerous contraband items from the prison complex. These include improvised knives, sticks, and sharp weapons recovered from Jail Nos. 3 and 4, indicating that mobile phones are just one component of a broader contraband smuggling problem.
Ongoing Challenges
The escalating numbers of Tihar mobile phones seized despite enhanced security measures underscore the persistent challenges facing prison administration. As criminal networks adapt their methods and intimidate security personnel, authorities must continuously evolve their strategies to maintain control over contraband flow.
The Intelligence Cell continues its operations, conducting regular raids and investigations, while prison administration explores additional technological and procedural solutions to address the smuggling crisis affecting India’s largest prison complex.
