Major FBI sting operation

[Boac]

News has broken today of multiple arrests world-wide following an amazing deception by the FBI. They 'made' a highly encrypted message app which they somehow managed to 'sell' into the criminal community who leapt on it with relish. Over the months an enormous amount of intelligence was gathered, mainly on drug-related stuff, and finally yesterday, presumably on the 'rumbling' of the app's nefarious actions, agencies world-wide acted to seize and arrest.

PS If we don't hear from the odd O-N contributor now, ......................

[llondel]

That sounds like a roll call...

[TheGreenGoblin]

When I saw this was a "sting operation" I was apt to think of UP's hive that had gone AWOL!

[TheGreenGoblin]

When I saw this was a "sting operation" I was apt to think of UP's hive that had gone AWOL!

Seriously though the British Police were able to do something similar here quite recently after the French police had cracked a criminal phone system..

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... ork-is-hit

One wonders if this kind of good international policing will be possible after the acrimony of the Brexit *****.

[Pontius Navigator]

AFAIK Interpol was never affected. The European Arrest Warrant and other things are not the same though.

[EA01]

Pinged a heap of undesirables down here as well!!! ..... We are a nation with an insatiable appetite for illegal drugs, and so the prices are very high, therefore of course we are a very desirable market!

[Boac]

I am reading that it was a joint Aus/US operation, so well done Bruces and Sheilas.

[bob2s]

A bit of backround,click on the hi lighted red for more info.The hi lighted red (PDF) is worth a read.

https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/08/ ... an_shield/

[EA01]

Yes, we are led to believe the same. Somehow the coppers managed to persuade the crooks to use an 'encryption' phone app (or some such), they thought it was 100% safe, but AFP were monitoring everything in real time for the past 3 years.

The crims though it so safe they would not even 'codify' their words ...... mostly do not have a lot of time for them, but a big thumbs up and job well done this time!!

[Hydromet]

It sounds like the games have already begun to fill the gaps left in the crime networks. Players are jockeying for power in gangs that have lost key leaders, and in markets that have lost suppliers.

[Pontius Navigator]

Hydromet, that might also thin the ranks too.

[FD2]

Down here too. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/operat ... TAW53X5EI/

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/global-ag ... f=readmore

[Hydromet]

Hydromet, that might also thin the ranks too.

Good chance of that, I'd say.

[PHXPhlyer]

At $1700 each for the devise and monthly fees for usage the Authorities might have made a profit after paying off the developer.
Win-win.

PP

[bob2s]

Seems the Yank involvement was pretty bloody useless judging by this.

https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/ ... 0933f36492

[Hydromet]

Seems the Yank involvement was pretty bloody useless judging by this.

https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/ ... 0933f36492

Coming from one of Rotten Rupert's rags, that article should be seasoned with a large grain of salt before consumption. It may approach the truth, but I suspect it doesn't get within touching distance.