A worldwide sweep has taken place thanks to the infiltration by the FBI and the police forces of various countries, of organized crime communications. – Noah Berger / AP / SIPA
- A massive global crackdown against organized crime has taken place in recent weeks, with hundreds of arrests in around 20 countries.
- More than 11,000 phone bombs have been sold, mainly in criminal circles.
- “20 Minutes” takes stock of this extraordinary operation, after the press conference given this Tuesday morning by Europol.
Hundreds of suspects have been arrested in different countries thanks to an operation presented as “the most sophisticated in the world” against organized crime. This Tuesday morning, the European Police Office Europol, held a press conference to give more details on this global operation. 20 minutes takes stock of this extraordinary investigation.
How were the suspects trapped?
This international operation led by the FBI has been dubbed the “Trojan Shield”, or Ironside. It was based on encrypted cellphones called “AN0M” which suspects used to organize drug trafficking, weapons or even murder plans. What they did not know was that these devices had been deliberately disseminated as part of an undercover operation among the ranks of the Mafia, Asian organized crime syndicates, drug cartels, gangs. biker outlaw.
Laptops could only be bought on the black market, for around $ 2,000, and you had to have a code to activate them from another AN0M user. “A criminal had to know another criminal to get this material,” Australian police said in a statement. It relied on people with influence in the community – including an individual suspected of being a drug lord on the run in Turkey – to disseminate the device.
“The devices circulated and their popularity grew among criminals, who had confidence in the legitimacy of the application because major figures in organized crime vouched for its integrity,” the police continued. The messaging app, created by the FBI, allowed police to spy on all suspects’ conversations for three years. Twenty million messages sent in total.
Which countries were involved in this vast operation?
This Tuesday, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, but also several countries in Europe, revealed that they controlled the application “AN0M”. “Over the past 18 months, the FBI has provided criminal organizations with more than 300 encrypted devices in more than 100 countries that have allowed us to monitor their communications,” FBI Deputy Director Calvin Shivers told reporters at the Europol headquarters in The Hague.
Those who received the most are Australia, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. “More than 700 places” were searched, said Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, deputy director of operations at Europol
How many suspects did this operation stop?
“This information has led over the past week to hundreds of police operations around the world, from New Zealand to Australia via Europe and the United States, with impressive results,” he said. indicated Jean-Philippe Lecouffe.
In all, more than 800 people have been arrested all over the world. In Australia alone, 224 people have been charged in connection with this operation which, according to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, “has inflicted a heavy blow on organized crime in this country, and which will have an echo around the world” . New Zealand police, who reported 35 arrests, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
What also did this vast operation allow?
Philippe Lecouffe assured that in parallel with the arrests, 8 tons of cocaine were seized. In Australia, six drug manufacturing labs were closed, a large quantity of weapons and A $ 45 million (€ 29 million) in cash seized.
Calvin Shivers, also assured that 100 lives had been saved thanks to these operations.