Encrochat largest criminal investigation ever

This spring, the French police were able to watch live which messages chatting criminals sent each other through the Encrochat network. Encrohat's servers were located in France and Switzerland. Police say the "massive interception operation" is the "largest criminal investigation ever." More than 20 million messages have been intercepted in Europe.

The French police launched an investigation in April into the network that provided encrypted communication services. Eurojust says it was clear that the users of the network were criminals. In addition to France and the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Norway were also involved in the study. Europol and Eurojust coordinated.

According to unconfirmed reports, a group of Dutch criminals set up the service. That was very lucrative. Users had to pay more than a thousand euros per year to connect to the service.

According to the Public Prosecution Service, more than 50,000 Encrochat telephones were active worldwide in 2020, of which approximately 12,000 were in the Netherlands. Encrochat was therefore one of the largest providers of encrypted digital communication.

The international investigation was made possible by a Franco-Dutch collaboration within a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). Dozens of police and judicial authorities at home and abroad, assisted in particular by Europol and Eurojust, have taken part in the secret investigative activities.

In the Netherlands, information from the 26Lemont investigation has now been made available in some hundred ongoing criminal investigations. More than 300 investigations are estimated to provide information about criminal organizations.

In a number of cases further investigations will be initiated. More arrests will follow in the near future.

The police listed the following actions taken in response to the Encrochat squat:

More than 100 suspects were arrested for very serious crimes
Confiscated nearly 20 million euros in cash
The seizure of 8,000 kilos of cocaine and more than 1,200 kilos of crystal meth
19 synthetic drug labs dismantled
Dozens of firearms seized
Processed over 3,000 signals in the Netherlands that seemed life-threatening, dozens of serious violent crimes, kidnappings, extortion, liquidations and torture
Potential victims of criminal violence have been warned in 22 cases