Home > yourrights > privacy/telephone tapping and interception of communications > telephone tapping and interception of communications
> Interception of post
Interception of post
Under Section 1 of RIPA, it is an offence to carry out intentional interception without lawful authority of any communication in the course of its transmission through any postal service. A person commits an offence if, without authorisation, he or she intentionally intercepts letters or packages sent to you through the mail.
Interceptions of this type are subject to the same system of authorisation that applies to interception of telecommunications, including interception warrants issued by the Home Secretary.
The term ‘postal system’ is defined in RIPA as a system which is offered, or provided to, a substantial section of the public in any one or more parts of the UK. It will probably therefore cover systems such as Document Exchange (DX) but it is unlikely to cover interception of purely internal mail at an office by an employer.
Interceptions of this type are subject to the same system of authorisation that applies to interception of telecommunications, including interception warrants issued by the Home Secretary.
The term ‘postal system’ is defined in RIPA as a system which is offered, or provided to, a substantial section of the public in any one or more parts of the UK. It will probably therefore cover systems such as Document Exchange (DX) but it is unlikely to cover interception of purely internal mail at an office by an employer.
