European police have made a major breakthrough in their fight against crime, arresting 42 suspects and seizing guns, drugs and millions in cash. The investigation began in September 2020 and led to the shutdown of the Exclu Messenger service, an encrypted online messaging platform used by criminals. Police conducted raids on 79 locations in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, with assistance from France, Italy, Sweden, Europol and Eurojust. The raids uncovered two drug labs, a cocaine-processing facility, several kilograms of drugs, four million euros in cash, luxury goods and guns. Exclu was used by around 3,000 people, including 750 Dutch speakers, and cost 800 euros for a six-month licence. It allowed users to exchange messages, photos, notes, voice memos, chat conversations and videos. The service was praised for its high level of security. The earlier Sky ECC probe gave investigators access to a large number of messages sent between drug smuggling gangs, allowing them to intercept drug shipments and make numerous arrests.
This Cyber News was published on www.securityweek.com. Publication date: Mon, 06 Feb 2023 12:56:02 +0000