Massive Blow to U.K. Organized Crime after Police Infiltrate Encrypted Communication Platform in U.K. Biggest Ever Police Operation
The phones – which have pre-loaded apps for instant messaging, the ability to make VOIP calls and a kill code which wipes them remotely – have no other conventional smart phone functionality and cost around £1,500 for a six-month contract.
And recent messages from some of the U.K. handsets included:
- “This year the police are winning.”
- “NCA as u know well are sophisticated and relentless.”
- “If NCA then we have a big problem.”
- “The police are having a field day.”
The NCA says it has created the technology and specialist data exploitation capabilities required to process the EncroChat data, and help identify and locate offenders by analyzing millions of messages and hundreds of thousands of images.
Intelligence packages were disseminated to NCA operational teams, ROCUs, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Scotland, Metropolitan Police, Border Force, the Prison Service, and HMRC to develop and launch investigations. The highest-harm organized crime groups were prioritized, with officers working tirelessly to attribute the handles to real world identities.
The Crown Prosecution Service is leading all the Operation Venetic prosecutions.
NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland, said:
The infiltration of this command and control communication platform for the UK’s criminal marketplace is like having an inside person in every top organized crime group in the country.
This is the broadest and deepest ever UK operation into serious organized crime.
The NCA is proud to have led the UK part of this operation, working in partnership with policing and other agencies. The results have been outstanding but this is just the start.
A dedicated team of over 500 NCA officers has been working on Operation Venetic night and day, and thousands more across policing. And it’s all been made possible because of superb work with our international partners.
Together we’ve protected the public by arresting middle-tier criminals and the kingpins, the so-called iconic untouchables who have evaded law enforcement for years, and now we have the evidence to prosecute them.
The NCA plays a key role in international efforts to combat encrypted comms. I’d say to any criminal who uses an encrypted phone, you should be very, very worried.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for serious organized crime, Chief Constable Steve Jupp, said:
“This unique operation has specifically focused on those thought to be involved in the highest levels of organized crime and drugs supply across the U.K.
I want to emphasize that this work is the culmination of meticulous planning to tackle the most serious and organized crimes groups that have been working in our communities.
Serious organized crime is complex but working together with our Regional Organized Crimes Units and the National Crime Agency we have achieved an unparalleled victory against the kingpin criminals whose criminal activity and violence intimidates and exploits the most vulnerable.
By dismantling these groups, we have saved countless lives and protected communities across the U.K.
Every U.K. police force has worked together to carry out these warrants, and I’m extremely proud of their hard work and determination which doesn’t stop here.
This sort of activity is just one aspect of our continued fight to tackle serious and organized crime. I hope this sends a clear message to the public of our determination to rid communities of this sort of criminalization.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said:
This operation demonstrates that criminals will not get away with using encrypted devices to plot vile crimes under the radar.
The NCA’s relentless targeting of these gangs has helped to keep us all safe. I congratulate them and law enforcement partners on this significant achievement.
I will continue working closely with the NCA and others to tackle the use of such devices – giving them the resources, powers and tools they need to keep our country safe.
