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Peru Lacks Phone-Data Extraction Tools as Prosecutor Presses Congress for Funding

He says yearlong backlogs in extortion cases stem from the absence of software to quickly pull data from seized phones.

Overview

  • Coordinating prosecutor Jorge Chávez Cotrina told Congress that the PNP and the Public Ministry do not have specialized software such as Cellebrite to extract data from confiscated cellphones.
  • He said the shortfall leaves investigators waiting up to a year for analyses of seized devices, delaying investigations and court rulings.
  • As an example, a San Martín de Porres operation produced 12 detainees, including police officers, and 28 phones whose results are not expected until next September.
  • He proposed equipping Depincri units in Lima with the tool, estimating about S/1 million per unit and roughly S/4 million to start, and urged lawmakers to allocate funds with no purchase announced.
  • Experts urged strict judicial authorization, transparency and oversight for any deployment, and highlighted broader gaps such as shortages of radios and criminalistics labs.