The Verden Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a 41-year-old employee of Celle Prison. The man is accused of providing inmates with mobile phones for payment and smuggling them into the prison. The investigation was prompted by videos from a cell, which had previously been TikTok posted on the platform and strengthened suspicions of unauthorised telecommunications.
As part of the investigation, authorities say there was a search of the suspect’s home. The cell of a 36-year-old inmate was also searched. The relevant authorities are not currently providing further details about possible payments, the number of mobile phones seized or any other people involved. The Verden Public Prosecutor’s Office confirms only that an investigation is under way. No criminal court judgment has been handed down; the presumption of innocence applies.
Celle Prison and the Lower Saxony justice ministry regularly point to the significant security risks posed by unauthorised means of communication in comparable cases. Unmonitored phone calls or internet access can facilitate the continuation of criminal activities, the concealment of evidence or the intimidation of witnesses. Experts consider tighter checks on staff and visitors, more thorough searches of post and cells, and technical interference measures to be key countermeasures. The authorities will decide whether and what disciplinary action to take in the current case only after further investigation.
The investigation is part of a series of similar cases in several German states, in which prison employees are suspected of bringing prohibited items into jails. These often include drugs or data storage devices as well as mobile phones. In some cases, personal enrichment, pressure or relationships of dependency are suspected to be contributing factors; no reliable information about motives in the present case is available so far, and further investigation is needed.
Next steps: Following the search, investigators are analysing seized data storage devices and communications. If there are sufficient grounds for suspicion, charges may be brought and the case may go to the competent court. Until then, the investigation remains ongoing. The authorities say the public will be informed when new verified findings become available.
The terms TikTok, search, Celle Prison, Verden Public Prosecutor’s Office, mobile phones, inmate and corruption appear in this report.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).