The use of secret data reading increased sharply in 2021, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s annual report on secret coercive measures. At the same time, fewer telephones were tapped.
The possibility for law enforcement agencies to secretly access computers and mobile phones was introduced on 1 April 2020. Until 31 December of the same year, secret data reading was used in 60 cases. Last year, the use more than doubled to 145 cases.
“Since the coercive measure is new and untried, the increase is expected. We should be able to see a continued increase in the next few years “, says Chief Prosecutor Mikael Björk at the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s development center according to a press release.
At the same time, wiretapping of mobile phones and other electronic communications fell sharply, from 1,704 people wiretapped in 2020 to 1,384 people in 2021.
According to Mikael Björk, the reduction is probably due to the fact that information that is usually collected through secret eavesdropping has been collected via Encrochat and other encrypted chat services.
“The reduction has been greatest in cases of drug crimes and violent crimes, and it is in these types of cases that the encrypted chats have been most useful,” he says.
Covert monitoring of electronic communications, ie the collection of information about which telephones have been in contact with each other, decreased slightly in 2021 compared with the previous year’s record level.
Secret camera surveillance increased sharply in 2020 and continued upwards last year. The use of covert eavesdropping remained virtually unchanged.
The report has been produced by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Crime Agency, the Police Authority, the Swedish Customs and the Security Police.
Facts
Secret coercive measures 2021
The number of people who last year were the subject of various types of secret coercive measures. 2020 figures in parentheses.
Secret interception of electronic communications: 1,384 (1,704)
Secret surveillance of electronic communications: 3,310 (3,490)
Secret Camera Surveillance: 235 (212)
Secret room interception: 79 (80)
Secret data reading: 145 (60)
Source: The Public Prosecutor’s Office
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