800 criminals arrested on FBI-operated fake encrypted communications network 'Anom'
Europol announced on June 8, 2021 that 800 suspected criminals were arrested by the fake encrypted communication network 'Anom' developed and operated by the FBI.
Operation Trojan Shield — FBI
800 criminals arrested in biggest ever law enforcement operation against encrypted communication | Europol
https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/800-criminals-arrested-in-biggest-ever-law-enforcement-operation-against-encrypted-communication
Trojan Shield: How the FBI Secretly Ran a Phone Network for Criminals --VICE
https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/akgkwj/operation-trojan-shield-anom-fbi-secret-phone-network
The FBI secretly launched an encrypted messaging system for criminals --The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/8/22524307/anom-encrypted-messaging-fbi-europol-afp-sting-operation-trojan-shield-greenlight
This time, the encrypted communication service 'Anom' used for the extremely large-scale and international simultaneous detection was secretly operated for the sting operation conducted by the FBI and others over a year. Based on the communication records of a total of 12,000 dedicated mobile phones that make up 'Anom' and the 27 million messages exchanged on that network, large-scale investigative agencies in all 17 countries including Europe, the United States, and Oceania We have embarked on a joint detection operation 'Operation Greenlight / Trojan Shield'.
More than 700 home investigations conducted in this seizure operation arrested 800 people, including 8 tons of cocaine, 22 tons of cannabis and cannabis resin, 2 tons of synthetic narcotics such as amphetamines , 6 tons of synthetic drug precursors, and luxury cars. 55 units, 250 firearms, a total of $ 48 million worth of cash and crypto assets were seized.
According to a (PDF file)
The FBI and the Australian Federal Police, which received Anom on condition of commutation, developed a mobile phone for Anom and secretly distributed it to the black market. This Anom mobile phone had all the usual functions removed, and was equipped with only the function to send encrypted messages and photos disguised as a calculator application. All criminal organizations in each country looking for an alternative to Phantom Secure used Anom, but Anom's encrypted communications were equipped with a 'master key' for law enforcement officials to decipher. In addition to making it possible to link the device to the owner, the messages and photos exchanged were also lost to the investigative agency.
Initially, criminal organizations using Anom were concentrated in Australia, but through word of mouth, they spread to Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Serbia, etc., and eventually they will be used by 300 criminal organizations operating in 90 countries around the world. became. In particular, the use of Anom expanded rapidly because the encrypted message service 'Sky Global', which was used for crimes like Phantom Secure, was closed by law enforcement agencies in early 2021. is.
'Criminal organizations using encrypted communications to escape the eyes of law enforcement agencies no longer sleep with their pillows raised,' Jamie Arnold, an assistant special agent for the FBI San Diego, said in a statement. We hope criminals around the world are terrified that their platform may actually be run by the FBI or other law enforcement agencies. ' I commented.
'This operation is an exceptional achievement by the United States, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and other task forces,' said Jean-Philippe Lecouf, Deputy Secretary-General of Europol. We are very pleased to be able to strengthen that collaboration by supporting and highlighting the strengths of multiple investigative agencies. '
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in Security, Posted by log1l_ks