News of mobile phone seizures have been filtering in from different areas of the country. It appears that the Home Office is trying to track down the people traffickers and smugglers who have been behind the recent upsurge of channel crossings, as part of the crackdown promised by Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The asylum seekers concerned are given no choice in the matter, and their phones may be confiscated for up to three months, or even longer if they are still required for an ongoing case, leaving the asylum seeker with no means of contacting friends, family or their solicitor.

Some support groups have said that emails and phone calls to request a return of the phones have not been answered. Below is a typical 'Phone Seizure Receipt'.

Phone Seizure Receipt

The following item has been seized under Section 48 of the Immigration Act 2016, as it is believed to contain evidence in relation to immigration offences.

You are lawfully required now to provide the officer seizing the phone the PIN/security code which unlocks it. It is an offence to fail to provide these details.

Your phone will be retained for a period of up to 3 months. However, it could be longer if deemed necessary by the investigation team.

Please do not call the Kent Intake Unit (KIU), they have no part in the seizure of your device(s).

Item(s)……………………………………………………………….

Name seized from…………………………………………………..

Location………………………………………………………………

Date and time………………………………………………………..

Seizure bag serial number …………………………………………

Pronto Reference ……………………………………………………

It is your responsibility to contact the office on the via the e-mail below to arrange return of your property to you:

GM-device-queries@homeoffice.gov.uk

N.B. If you do not contact this office within six months, your phone will be destroyed.

Please quote reference:………………………………………………………..

Clandestine Investigation Branch

Criminal and Financial Investigations

Lunar House

40, Wellesley Road

Croydon

CR9 2BY