How Police Secretly Took Over a Global Phone Network for Organized Crime 07/02/2020
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3aza95/how-police-took-over-encrochat-hacked?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits
Police monitored a hundred million encrypted messages sent through Encrochat, a network used by career criminals to discuss drug deals, murders, and extortion plots.
In the Netherlands alone, "the investigation has so far led to the arrest of more than 100 suspects, the seizure of drugs (more than 8,000 kilo cocaine and 1,200 kilo crystal meth), the dismantling of 19 synthetic drugs labs, the seizure of dozens of (automatic) fire weapons, expensive watches and 25 cars, including vehicles with hidden compartments, and almost EUR 20 million in cash," authorities said in a press release. The messages "have given insight in an unprecedented large number of serious crimes, including large, international drug shipments and drug labs, murders, thrashing robberies, extortions, robberies, grave assaults and hostage takings. International drug and money laundering corridors have become crystal clear," Dutch law enforcement said.
Buying an Encrochat device is not always as simple as walking into a store. One current prison inmate who said they previously used Encrochat devices explained how they bought a phone from a specific contact recommended to them. "He does have a legit shop but I didn't meet him there. I met him down a side street and it looked like a drug deal," the inmate said of how he got the phone. "I spoke to him by the phone and went to his city and met him." Encrochat's phones are essentially modified Android devices, with some models using the "BQ Aquaris X2," an Android handset released in 2018 by a Spanish electronics company, according to the leaked documents.
In May, some Encrochat users noticed a problem: the much lauded wipe feature on their phones wasn't working. Malware, specifically created for the X2 model was detected by Encrochat, who could not defend the devices. "Due to the level of sophistication of the attack and the malware code, we can no longer guarantee the security of your device," a message Encrochat sent to its users read. "You are advises [sic] to power off and physically dispose your device immediately," it added. All of this came too late. Law enforcement had already extracted an extraordinary cache of data from Encrochat devices. Entire multi-million dollar drug empires nakedly laid out in reams of text messages and photos.
The authorities had everything. Images of huge piles of narcotics laying on scales. Kilogram blocks of cocaine. Bags packed with ecstasy. Fistfuls of cannabis. Messages about planned drug drops and major deals. Photos of alleged criminals' family members and discussions of their other businesses.