Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, announced on Tuesday that the takedown of Encrochat, an encrypted phone service used by criminals, has led to more than 6,500 arrests and 900 million euros ($980 million) in seized assets.
Encrochat devices were particularly popular in Europe, although they were also sold in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. One source told Vice Motherboard that they became the “industry standard” among criminals.
The phones were marketed as being completely secure, and they were equipped with end-to-end encryption that made it impossible for law enforcement to read messages. However, in June 2020, French and Dutch authorities managed to hack into Encrochat’s servers and gain access to all of the messages that were being sent on the network.
This gave law enforcement a major advantage, as they were able to track the movements of criminals and gather evidence of their crimes. As a result, there have been a number of high-profile arrests in recent months, including the takedown of an international drug trafficking ring.
The Encrochat takedown is a major blow to criminals who rely on encrypted communications to avoid detection. It also sends a message to other companies that offer secure messaging services that they are not immune to law enforcement scrutiny.
The Encrochat takedown is a significant success for law enforcement, and it is a reminder that even the most secure encrypted communications systems are not immune to attack. It is also a warning to criminals that their communications are not as secure as they think they are.
