Hundreds of people have been detained in 18 countries in a joint US-Australian police operation

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The European Union (EU) police agency Europol said a total of 800 people had been detained as part of a global operation.

For its part, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the operation had prevented more than 100 lives.

Australian police found that security services had used the ANOM messaging application, which was used by criminals, and obtained hundreds of encrypted messages.

Europol and the FBI said law enforcement agencies had secretly supplied criminal groups with encrypted mobile phones over the past 18 months, allowing their correspondence to be traced.

The FMO reported that it has distributed more than 300 such phones in more than 100 countries.

“This information led to hundreds of law enforcement operations globally last week from New Zealand to Australia, Europe and the United States,” a Europol spokesman said.

“More than 800 detentions, more than 700 sites searched, more than eight tonnes of cocaine seized,” Europol revealed.

Suspects involved in global drug trafficking are detained in Australia, Asia, South America and the Middle East.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the operation is a major blow to organized crime, not just in Australia but around the world.

Australian police found it detained 224 people, including members of banned motorcycle clubs, while New Zealand reports the detention of 35 people.

Australian police and the FBI began operations in 2018, accessing the ANOM. When the application began to spread in the Australian criminal world, police were able to track the correspondence.

“All they are talking about is drugs, violence, mutual attacks, innocent people who will be killed,” said Rice Kerchav, the Australian Federal Police Commissioner.

Authorities found that access to the ANOM had prevented a number of attacks.

Australian police confiscated 104 firearms and nearly A $ 45 million (€ 28.7 million) in cash on Monday.

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