"European Police Arrest 42 After Cracking Covert App"

European police have recently arrested 42 suspects and seized guns, drugs, and millions in cash, after cracking another encrypted online messaging service used by criminals.  Police launched raids on 79 premises in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands following an investigation that started back in September 2020 and led to the shutting down of the covert Exclu Messenger service.  Exclu is just the latest encrypted online chat service to be unlocked by law enforcement.  In 2021 investigators broke into Sky ECC, another “secure” app used by criminal gangs.  The Dutch police stated that after police and prosecutors got into the Exclu secret communications system, they were able to read the messages passed between criminals for five months before the raids.  Those arrested include users of the app, as well as its owners and controllers.  Police in France, Italy, and Sweden, as well as Europol and Eurojust, its justice agency twin, also took part in the investigation.  The police raids uncovered at least two drug labs, one cocaine-processing facility, several kilograms of drugs, four million euros ($4.3 million) in cash, luxury goods, and guns.  Exclu was used by around 3,000 people, including about 750 Dutch speakers.  Exclu was installed on smartphones with an operating license costing 800 euros for six months.  Exclu made it possible to exchange messages, photos, notes, voice memos, chat conversations, and videos with other users.
 

SecurityWeek reports: "European Police Arrest 42 After Cracking Covert App"