Police wiretapping increased last year

In 2012, the Czech police force wiretapped eight percent more telephone numbers and 17 percent more people than in the previous year, according to information released to the Czech News Agency on Monday. The police tapped more than 6,200 phone lines last year, tracking the communication of almost four thousand people. The greatest number of taps was ordered by the National Anti-Drug Unit and the organized crime unit. Most often the police used wiretapping in 2012 in drug-related cases as well as during investigations of crimes, thefts and extortion. The police also purposefully jammed the phone signal in 34 instances during the year in order to prevent potential bomb detonation.