Did you know? FBI already developed encrypted messaging app to track criminals

Accessing messages shared between criminals can be a complex and time-consuming task for authorities, delaying and in some cases making investigations impossible. To overcome this obstacle, the FBI came up with a bold idea: Create your own encrypted messaging platform and provide it to scammers.

Behind the scenes details of this story, Major international police operation launched in 2021It’s in the book Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Biggest Sting Operation EverThe study, written by journalist Joseph Cox, was published in June of this year.

Named after AnomalyThe encrypted phone company of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was created as a traditional startup in order not to arouse any suspicion. The project involved the recruitment of developers and all the professionals necessary for such a company.

The aim was to create Smartphones are allegedly safe for organised crimeBut what users didn’t know was that these devices were allowing them to track the communications of people involved in different illegal activities, allowing them to track their messages in real-time.

How did the “FBI mobile phone” work?

The FBI’s encrypted messaging app was created to replace traditional secure communication platforms for a specific audience. It arrived Customized mobile phone by Anom distributed only to the criminal underworld.

Apparently the “FBI mobile phone” was a traditional device, but there were some differences. Basically, All communication between users took place through an app activated by a code sent by the startup and claimed to be trace-proof.

To prevent people from leaving the platform for other messaging apps, Anom has frequently released updates to add new functionality. The service eventually turned into a criminal social networkby sharing photos, videos and other content.

This mobile phone loaded with ‘Organized Crime WhatsApp’ It costs around $2,000 (about R$10,000 at current prices) It began to be sold to gang and cartel bosses with the help of informants and undercover agents. It reached more people thanks to referrals.

What did the FBI discover by tracking criminals?

According to the book on the subject, approximately 12,000 FBI cell phones soldIt allows public security agencies in various countries to access vast amounts of data. It is estimated that more than 300 criminal organizations exchange messages through the platform.

Law enforcement has obtained an impressive amount of content due to the fact that so many people use the Anom app, including innocent people who mistakenly purchased the encrypted phone. At least 27 million messages sent between criminals were intercepted during the project.

There were occasional discussions on the subject. drug import plansbecause so many traffickers are taking advantage of technology. Conversations describing murder plots, incorporating beatings, and describing a wide range of illegal acts were also monitored.

In addition to the texts, the people involved in the initiative Images of tons of drugs fearlessly manipulated by usersThrough some of these photographs, agents were able to discover how cocaine was being transported concealed in vehicles.

Major international police operation

All the content collected on the mobile phones sold by the FBI was necessary for the execution of the “Trojan Shield” operation, which was planned in 2018. The operation, which was launched on June 7, 2021, One of the largest police operations in history.

The action, which was carried out simultaneously in many countries, More than 500 criminals arrestedAround 220 of them were detained in Australia. Three tonnes of cocaine and cash equivalent to R$175 million were also seized in the Oceania country.

Tons of marijuana and hashish and more than 300 firearms were also seized.all locations taken into account. Other countries with large numbers of detainees were the Netherlands and Sweden; surveillance efforts in Sweden prevented at least 10 murders.