 |
 | |
| Industry | Computer software |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 |
| Defunct | June 2020  |
Area served | Worldwide |
EncroChat was a Europe-based communications network and service provider that offered modified smartphones allowing encrypted communication among subscribers. It was used primarily by organized crime members to plan criminal activities. Police infiltrated the network between at least March and June 2020 during a Europe-wide investigation. An unidentified source associated with EncroChat announced on the night of 12–13 June 2020 that the company would cease operations because of the police operation.[1][2]
The service had around 60,000 subscribers at the time of its closure.[3][4] In the UK the National Crime Agency led an operation resulting in over 2,600 arrests and 1,384 criminal charges.[5]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
vicehowwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Wright, Robert (2 July 2020). "Hundreds arrested across Europe as French police crack encrypted network". The Financial Times.
- ^ "Six arrested after 'Dutch torture chambers' found". BBC News. 7 July 2020.
- ^ Kennedy, Rachael (2 July 2020). "EU authorities penetrate phone network in huge organised crime sting". Euronews.
- ^ Griffith, Cerian; Jackson, Adam (2024). "Digital Evidence, Police Investigations, and Lesson Learned from EncroChat". CrimLR (7): 436–457.