It is an "earthquake" for organized crime. French and Dutch authorities, along with Europol and Eurojust, have announced the dismantling of a global encrypted communications network, used almost exclusively by criminals. The system called "EncroChat" was based on phones sold for 1,000 euros, without camera, microphone or GPS. Equipped with a dual operating system, one classic, the other encrypted and hidden, the devices also had functions for quickly erasing messages in the event of arrest and automatic self-destruction after a certain deadline. An ultra sophisticated system, which the investigators managed to infiltrate.
"We have a vision of the upper segment of organized crime"
As the criminals suspected nothing, the police had the impression of "being at their table", said one of them. They were even shocked to see how easily and unscrupulously criminal activities are planned.
"We have an extremely clear vision of the upper segment of organized crime, of the way they work, of the way they communicate with each other. It is as if we were in a huge meeting of criminals who talk to each other them, where you are invisible in the middle, "said General Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, deputy director of the judicial police of the national gendarmerie.
Over 100 million intercepted messages
But on June 13, the network realized that it was infiltrated and sent an alert message to all its users advising them to get rid of their phones "immediately". Some 50,000 devices were in circulation, almost all of which were used by criminals. More than 100 million messages have been intercepted and will feed hundreds of legal proceedings worldwide.
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France does not want to say more for the moment but the Netherlands have already communicated the first results. Dutch authorities have announced the arrest of "more than 100 suspects", huge drug seizures, the dismantling of "19 synthetic drug laboratories", kidnappings and settling of accounts avoided, the seizure of "dozens of weapons automatic fire "and" almost 25 million euros in cash ".