Officials at UK immigration have been hacking into the phones of asylum seekers over the past three years, The Independent reported this week.
The officials have been doing through an amendment to the 1997 Police Act, which now allows them to conduct "property interference, including interference with equipment." Specifically, this reportedly allows the installation of listening devices into the homes or cars of refugees, as well as at detention centres, the paper reported.
In a statement to The Independent however, the Home Office said, "They may only use the power to investigate and prevent serious crime which relates to an immigration or nationality offence and have done so."
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