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EncroChat

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EncroChat
IndustryComputer software
Foundedc. 2016 Edit this on Wikidata
DefunctJune 2020 Edit this on Wikidata
Headquarters
Holland
Area served
Worldwide
Websiteencro.co.uk

EncroChat is a mobile phone based communications network and service provider, allegedly used to plan a number of criminal activities, that was infiltrated by police in early 2020 in Europe-wide Operation Venetic.[1] As a result of the infiltration of the network, police arrested over 800 individuals, including major crime bosses, intercepted two tonnes of drugs, and seized £54 million in criminal cash.[1] Many weapons were also confiscated, including sub-machine guns, handguns, grenades, an AK47 assault rifle, and over 1,800 rounds of ammunition.[2]

History and overview

The EncroChat service is available for Android and Blackberry handsets, and is offered by a Dutch company. GPS, camera and microphone functions are disabled on these handsets.[3] It was reported in June 2020 to cost ₤1,500 for a six month contract to belong to the service.[4] In June 2020, the UK alone had 10,000 service users.[1]

In December 2018 it was reported that the hitman who killed Paul Massey and John Kinsella used an EncroChat phone.[5][6]

Britain's National Crime Agency began work to attempt to infiltrate the network in 2016[7] and the French National Gendarmerie joined efforts in 2017 and later a joint investigation team was formed with the Dutch police in April 2020.[8] Intelligence and technical expertise from the National Crime Agency allowed the National Gendarmerie and Dutch police to access messages by putting "a technical device in place".[9][10][11] This data was distributed by Europol and the National Crime Agency built data analysis technology to automatically "identify and locate offenders by analysing millions of messages and hundreds of thousands of images".[12][13] EncroChat later informed Vice News that it was shutting down permanently "following several attacks carried out by a foreign organization that seems to originate in the UK."[14]

Messages allegedly sent on the EncroChat service had previously claimed that law enforcement had taken over part of the network's infrastructure.[5] Europol and the National Crime Agency refused to comment at the time.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c Shaw, Danny (2 July 2020). "Hundreds arrested as crime chat network cracked". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  2. ^ CNN, Emma Reynolds. "Hundreds arrested after police infiltrate secret criminal phone network". CNN. Retrieved 2020-07-02. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ Cook, James (2 July 2020). "How EncroChat became the go-to messaging service for gangsters". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. ^ Dearden, Lizzle (2 July 2020). "More than 700 arrested in 'biggest ever' UK operation against organised crime after encrypted phone network cracked". The Independent. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b Cox, Joseph. "Texts Claim Hack of Encrypted Phone Company Used by Hitmen". Motherboard. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  6. ^ "John Kinsella and Paul Massey murder suspects had "extremely expensive" encrypted phones". Phoneweek. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  7. ^ Evans, Martin (2 July 2020). "Hundreds of gangsters arrested as police crack criminals' private messaging network". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Hundreds arrested across Europe as French police crack encrypted network". www.ft.com. FT. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  9. ^ Jowitt, Tom (2 July 2020). "Police 'Crack' EncroChat Encryption | Silicon UK Tech News". Silicon UK.
  10. ^ "EncroChat: What it is, who was running it, and how did criminals get their encrypted phones?". Sky News. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  11. ^ Shaw, Danny (2 July 2020). "Hundreds arrested as crime chat network cracked". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  12. ^ "What is Encrochat, the encrypted network infiltrated by law enforcement?". Verdict. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Euro police forces infiltrated encrypted phone biz – and now 'criminal' EncroChat users are being rounded up". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  14. ^ Cox, Joseph. "VICE - Senator Wyden Wants Congress to Investigate Which Local Cops Have Hacking Tools". Vice News. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  15. ^ "How Police Secretly Took Over a Global Phone Network for Organised Crime".

Further reading

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