Encrypted app reveals criminal networks across Europe

Law enforcement authorities across Europe and Türkiye have dismantled four major criminal networks responsible for fuelling the flow of drugs into the EU and Türkiye, following a series of coordinated raids supported by Europol.

These results were made possible by the continued exploitation of encrypted communication platforms, including Sky ECC and ANOM, which remain powerful tools in the hands of investigators.

 

Unmasking the drug pipelines into Europe

On 15 April, coordinated raids took place in several European countries and Türkiye, targeting both the leadership and logistical arms of these criminal networks. A total of 232 suspects have been arrested, including High Value Targets who played a pivotal role in drug trafficking and money laundering operations.

Investigations spanned multiple jurisdictions, with authorities in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain joining forces with Europol to disrupt the networks operating across the European continent.

Over the course of the investigations, over EUR 300 million worth of assets were seized in Türkiye and Europe, including 681 properties and 127 vehicles.

These criminal organisations – each operating independently but collectively wielding immense power – had established themselves as dominant players in the European drug trade.

Using both traditional smuggling routes and sophisticated logistics, the groups were linked to the seizure of at least 21 tonnes of drugs in Europe and Türkiye, including 3.3 million MDMA tablets. Investigators also exposed the groups’ involvement in money laundering, violent crime and a wider network of organised criminal activity.

Cracking the criminal cloud with SKY intelligence

Known as Operation BULUT (‘cloud’ in Turkish), this data-driven operation was built on intelligence extracted from the SkyECC and ANOM platforms.

As part of the operational framework, French authorities shared decrypted SkyECC data with Türkiye to support the development of local investigations into the country’s most prominent organised crime suspects. As part of the ongoing judicial cooperation related to SKY ECC data, the French JUNALCO Public Prosecutor’s Office handles all requests for international mutual legal assistance requests sent by interested countries. ANOM intelligence was provided to the Turkish authorities by the Australian Federal Police, further enriching the intelligence picture.

This cooperation facilitated the deployment of Turkish National Police officers to Europol’s headquarters, where they worked side by side with European investigators supported by Europol to analyse the encrypted communications and identify criminal networks operating in Türkiye.

The resulting intelligence led to the first wave of arrests in Türkiye, targeting key figures at the top of the drug trafficking hierarchy. As the investigation revealed substantial links to organised crime across the EU, the operation entered a second phase – coordinated by Europol – bringing together law enforcement authorities from several Member States to disrupt the networks’ activities on European soil.

From intelligence to action: Europol’s coordinating role

Over the past two years, Europol has played a key role in coordinating efforts across Europe to support investigations into these criminal networks. By hosting high-level coordination meetings, Europol brought together all involved countries to develop a joint strategy, while intelligence shared through its channels helped map the networks’ structure and identify links to other cases. Europol also facilitated efforts to define the scope of the investigations between the SKY ECC joint investigation team (France, the Netherlands and Belgium) and Turkish investigators.

Using its extensive datasets, Europol cross-checked information on suspects against passenger name records and other systems, enabling the silent surveillance of key targets. These efforts strengthened operational outcomes, leading to new intelligence developments.

Europol also played a crucial role in the operational phase by setting up a real-time coordination platform among the designated country coordinators. This system ensured swift and effective decision-making, allowing for continuous adjustments to the strategy as the situation evolved. In addition, Europol deployed staff in the Netherlands to support the Dutch authorities’ enforcement activities.

Closing in on criminal networks across the globe

This operation is part of Europol’s wider strategy to support EU Member States in systematically identifying, targeting and dismantling the most resilient criminal networks operating in Europe, wherever they are based. These criminal networks rely on international supply chains and complex structures to traffic drugs and launder illicit profits across multiple jurisdictions.

More information: Europol