Part 2 what we already know

The National Crime Agency (NCA) and other law enforcement agencies were able to receive live messages from EncroChat users during the operation, once they had infiltrated the network. This real-time access was a key part of the success of the operation.

Here’s how it worked:Interception: After infiltrating the devices of EncroChat users with malware, authorities gained the ability to monitor communications as they happened. This included receiving real-time messages exchanged between users, effectively allowing law enforcement to track conversations and gather intelligence about criminal activities while they were occurring.
2.Intelligence Gathering: The NCA, along with other European law enforcement agencies, was able to monitor millions of messages sent by EncroChat users over several months. This allowed them to intercept critical information, such as drug deals, weapons trafficking, and organized crime activities. By receiving live data, they could act quickly on high-priority operations, leading to numerous arrests and seizures.
3.Coordinated Effort: The operation, which was known as “Operation Venetic” in the UK, was a collaboration between multiple agencies across Europe. In addition to the NCA, other law enforcement bodies in countries like France, the Netherlands, and Belgium were involved in monitoring and acting on the information gathered in real-time.
4.Massive Impact: The operation was a significant success in terms of disrupting organized crime. It led to the arrest of hundreds of individuals, the seizure of tons of drugs, firearms, and cash, and the dismantling of several criminal networks. However, as with the court ruling in Berlin, the legal implications of such surveillance are still being debated, particularly concerning privacy and the methods used to gather the data.

The ability to receive live messages marked a major step forward in digital surveillance and real-time crime fighting, but also raised concerns about civil liberties, especially in terms of privacy and how such operations could be conducted without sufficient oversight.