A massive global crime sting spanning hundreds of arrests around the world came down to a single app.
The FBI, along with Australian and European law enforcement, has announced more than 800 arrests in 18 countries tied to a globe-spanning narcotics ring.
The criminals were using a ‘secure encrypted messaging app’ call An0m. The only problem? An0m was actually made by the FBI, which used it to track criminal activity.
Some of the millions of messages sent on An0m included photos of cocaine shipments, firearms, and stolen money.
For nearly three years, law enforcement officials have been virtually sitting in the back pocket of some of the world’s top alleged crime figures.
Custom cellphones installed with an FBI-controlled platform called AN0M grew in popularity among criminals. https://t.co/d3bPZDqfmX
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 8, 2021
Should we praise the FBI for their cleverness – or be concerned about tracking our data?