UK Police Take Down Encrypted Cybercriminal Platform EncroChat
In the UK, law enforcement has managed to take down the encrypted communications platform EncroChat in what they call their biggest ever operation. The takedown resulted in the arrest of 746 individuals, seizing 77 firearms, over two tons of drugs, and £54 million in cash.
EncroChat was one of the largest encrypted communications platforms that offered a secure mobile phone messaging service. It was used for coordination and planning, distribution of illegal goods, money laundering, plotting of crimes, and more, according to the NCA (National Crime Agency).
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The EncroChat Servers are Shut Down
According to the NCA, there were around 60 thousand users worldwide, with about 10 thousand of them in the UK. They also mentioned that since 2016, the agency was working with their international colleagues to target EncroChat and other encrypted communications platforms used by criminals. Thanks to these efforts, two months ago, their partners in the Netherlands and France managed to infiltrate the platform.
Harvested Data Shared Through Europol
Unknown to the users of the platform, the NCA and police were monitoring their communications under what was called Operation Venetic. The operation was the biggest and most significant one of its kind within the UK. The platform users believed their messages were secure, but they were recorded for months when the authorities installed a tool to read their communications.
The NCA said they created the technology and data exploitation capabilities needed to process EncroChat data to help identify and find offenders, analyzing data and hundreds of thousands of images. The agency also mentioned that EncroChat caught onto what was happening on June 13 and warned their users to throw away their phones. For the price of 1500 GBP and a six-month contract, handsets were coming with preinstalled apps for instant messaging, VOIP calls, and a kill code that remotely wiped them.
According to the NCA's director Nikki Holland, the infiltration of EncroChat was like having an inside person inside every top organized crime group in the country. The director mentioned they made arrests on the mid-tier criminals and kingpins, giving them enough evidence to prosecute the so-called untouchables who evaded the law for years.
Hundreds Arrested in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, investigations led to the arrest of over a hundred suspects, the seizure of more than 8 tons of cocaine, and 1200 kilos of crystal meth. According to a press release, the authorities also raided and dismantled 19 synthetic drugs labs, seized dozens of automatic firearms, 25 vehicles with hidden smuggling compartments, and nearly 20 million Euro in hard cash.
EncroChat Phones Are Modified Android Devices
EncroChat phones are modified Android devices, ones that are often seen using the BQ Aquarius X2 Android handset released in 2018, according to leaked documents. They took the base unit and customized it by installing its encrypted messaging apps that route messages through the company's servers, even down to physically removing the GPS, camera, and microphone functions from the phone for added security. The phones had a feature that allows users to wipe the device by entering a PIN and ran two operating systems together. If the users wanted the device to look completely normal, they booted the regular Android OS. If they wanted to look at their criminal enterprises, they'd switch to the EncroChat system.