Investigations launched over the last three years following the decryption of encrypted phones have resulted in over 6,500 arrests worldwide and the confiscation of massive quantities of drugs, according to prosecutors from France, the Netherlands and the European Union on June 27.
The announcement highlighted the extensive scope of criminal activities, including drug and arms smuggling and money laundering, that was exposed as law enforcement agencies successfully intercepted secured EncroChat phones.
The joint effort by French and Dutch authorities allowed access to more than 115 million encrypted messages exchanged among approximately 60,000 criminals via servers located in Roubaix, a town in northern France.
Following the decryption in 2020, EncroChat servers were shut down worldwide as police took on the task of analyzing communications.
Speaking of the impact of the investigations, EU police and cooperating agencies such as Europol and Eurojust said they “helped to prevent violent attacks, attempted murders, corruption and large-scale drug transports, as well as obtain large-scale information on organized crime.”
At a press conference in nearby Lille, prosecutors stated that the operation led to the apprehension of 6,558 suspects globally, including 197 high-profile targets.
Notable seizures included 30.5 million pills, 103.5 metric tons (114 tons) of cocaine, 163.4 metric tons (180 tons) of cannabis and 3.3 metric tons (3.6 tons) of heroin. Moreover, nearly €740 million ($809 million) in cash was recovered, while assets and bank accounts worth an additional €154 million ($168 million) were frozen.
The case was launched in 2020 after law enforcement agencies successfully decrypted the encryption used by EncroChat phones, enabling them to effectively eavesdrop on criminal networks.
“Eventually, it was possible to place a technical device to go beyond the encryption technique and obtain access to users’ correspondence,” Europol said during the announcement.
EncroChat phones, marketed as providing complete anonymity and being untraceable and easily erasable in case of an arrest, were sold worldwide for approximately €1,000 ($1,094) and offered six-month subscriptions with global coverage for €1,500 ($1,641).
After French authorities initiated investigations into the company behind EncroChat in 2017, they eventually were able to successfully deploy a device capable of bypassing the phones’ encryption and accessing users’ communications.
Additionally, according to Chief Prosecutor Carole Etienne, several individuals believed to be key figures within the EncroChat provider have been identified and detained, including three arrests in Spain on June 22, with further suspects located outside the European Union yet to be charged.
It is worth noting that EncroChat is not the sole encrypted communication network employed by criminals that has been compromised by law enforcement agencies.
In March 2021, Belgian police arrested numerous individuals and seized over 17 metric tons (18.7 tons) of cocaine after breaking into another encrypted chat platform known as Sky ECC.
Moreover, the FBI and other law enforcement entities developed a covert encrypted service called ANOM, which was marketed to criminals worldwide as part of a global operation. This operation resulted in the apprehension of over 800 suspects and the seizure of more than 32 metric tons (35.2 tons) of various drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamines.
