To ensure arrest of former Prince Andrew, IT system of Norfolk Police was temporarily disabled

Law enforcement officers involved in the operation to apprehend Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the brother of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, took the precaution of shutting down the Norfolk County Police’s internal IT system prior to the raid. This measure was aimed at preventing any early leaks of information regarding the event, reports the Mirror newspaper.

According to available sources, "Norfolk Police disabled the internal IT network across the entire county to preemptively prevent the leak of details about this historic arrest," the article states.

It is also noted that most staff at the Ely Police Investigation Center were instructed not to report to work on the day of the operation. Personnel allegedly received this directive several days before the arrest, with officials only informing them that a "well-known individual" would be brought to the station.

On February 9, former Prince Andrew was detained by police in connection with his ties to convicted American financier Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities are investigating an incident involving the transfer of government documents to Epstein, while the disgraced prince faces suspicion of abuse of power in public office.

For several years, Andrew has been embroiled in scandal due to his associations with Epstein. In early December 2025, King Charles III stripped his brother of all titles.