Thuringia Police Utilizes Silent SMS for Tracking Suspects

In a significant development in law enforcement, the Thuringia Police have employed silent SMS technology extensively to monitor the locations of suspects during criminal investigations. According to reports, nearly 14,600 silent SMS messages were dispatched in 2024, utilized across 99 different cases as part of ongoing investigations.

Silent SMS are discreet messages that do not trigger any visible notification on the recipient's device, allowing authorities to gather location data without the knowledge of the individual being monitored. When a silent SMS is received, the mobile phone sends back information indicating its connection to a specific mobile network cell, enabling investigators to ascertain the approximate whereabouts of the device's owner.

This technique is particularly valuable in cases involving drug-related offenses, large-scale theft, and fraud. The data indicates that messages were sent to 132 individuals, and it is important to note that a single person may be tracked multiple times if they use several different phone numbers.

Both the Thuringia State Criminal Police Office and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution have the capability to deploy silent SMS. The legal foundation for utilizing this investigative method is rooted in the German Code of Criminal Procedure, which permits such surveillance under serious criminal offense investigations, including but not limited to cases of treason, murder, and significant financial crimes such as money laundering and tax evasion.

Additionally, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution can utilize silent SMS under Article 10 of the German Constitution, which allows for breaches of privacy under specific conditions related to postal and telecommunications secrecy. In the previous year, the agency sent approximately 500 silent SMS to track the whereabouts of three individuals for intelligence purposes.

Financially, the deployment of silent SMS incurs costs that must be borne by the state. Reports indicate that the police incurred approximately EUR19,000, while the Office for the Protection of the Constitution spent about EUR3,700 on this surveillance method, covering contractual expenses without including personnel costs associated with sending these messages.

The use of silent SMS has raised discussions around privacy and the balance between effective policing and individual rights, particularly in the context of how such technologies can be regulated to ensure they are used appropriately and ethically.