Telstra has won a $17.7 million contract from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for the supply of mobile phones and services. The contract will expand three years, ending September 18, 2020.

According to reports, procurement occurred through an open tender via the Federal Government’s mobile procurement panel, which comprises other mobile services providers, including Macquarie Telecom, iiNet and Optus.

The news comes after AFP went to market at the end of August, seeking a supplier to provide it with a mobile phone forensics tool. Some reports have suggested that such tools are used by law enforcement agencies to hack into mobile devices and retrieve data for investigation purposes.