Dutch and French authorities have successfully dismantled an advanced encrypted messaging platform called Matrix after covertly monitoring messages exchanged by suspected criminals over the past three months.
Europol, which supported the operation, stated on Wednesday that the intelligence gathered during this surveillance will serve as critical evidence in ongoing investigations.
During the operation, law enforcement gained access to 2.3 million messages written in 33 languages. Europol reported that the majority of these communications were linked to drug trafficking, money laundering, and arms dealing. The Matrix platform reportedly had around 8,000 users, each paying between €1,300 and €1,600 for a six-month subscription.
The investigation began when Dutch police discovered the platform while examining the phone of an individual convicted in the 2021 murder of journalist Peter R. de Vries. This discovery sparked a large-scale international probe.
“From the outset, it became evident that Matrix had a more complex infrastructure compared to previous criminal platforms such as Sky ECC and EncroChat,” Europol noted.
The service was marketed as a highly secure communication tool, with its creators confident in its superiority over earlier platforms. Access to Matrix was restricted, as users could only join through invitations.
The platform’s servers, located primarily in France and Germany, were shut down on Tuesday. Authorities conducted coordinated actions across multiple countries:
- France: One suspect was arrested, and their residence was searched.
- Spain: Two individuals were apprehended under a European arrest warrant issued by Dutch authorities, with six homes searched.
- Lithuania: Six properties were also searched.
This successful operation marks a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against organized crime and highlights the growing sophistication of encrypted communication tools used by criminal networks.