Law enforcement officials in Spain and the Netherlands have arrested four individuals linked to the distribution of Sky ECC, an encrypted communications service used by cybercriminals, BleepingComputer reports.
Spanish police identified two of the suspects as the service’s top global distributors, having earned over $14 million from subscription sales. The Dutch suspects, who were apprehended in Amsterdam and Arnhem, reportedly managed about 25% of all Sky ECC subscriptions, and also earned millions in profit.
Sky ECC came under investigation starting in 2019, with Europol announcing in March 2021 that it had cracked the service's encryption, uncovering widespread use of the platform for illegal activities such as drug trafficking, arms dealing, and money laundering. The service, which is accessed via specialized mobile devices with embedded encrypted software, was sold through a subscription scheme. The Spanish operation in January resulted in multiple raids, leading to the seizure of cash, cryptocurrency, luxury goods, and electronic devices. The two distributors arrested in Spain are expected to be extradited to the Netherlands, where they will be prosecuted.
