An international Joint Investigation Team (JIT) involving French and Dutch authorities has dismantled MATRIX, an encrypted messaging service designed and operated by criminals.
For three months, authorities monitored communications on MATRIX, gathering vital intelligence. The service, discovered on the phone of a convicted criminal involved in the 2021 murder of a Dutch journalist, had been under scrutiny since.
MATRIX operated as an exclusive platform accessible only via invitation, with infrastructure spanning over 40 servers in multiple countries. Critical nodes were located in France and Germany.
Investigators intercepted and deciphered over 2.3 million messages in 33 languages related to high-level crimes, including international drug and arms trafficking, as well as money laundering.
On December 3, simultaneous actions were executed in France where one suspect was arrested and their residence searched. Spanish police apprehended two suspects and conducted six property searches, while German authorities have dismantled MATRIX’s key server infrastructure.
The operation also yielded significant asset seizures, including more than €600,000 in cash and cryptocurrencies, four vehicles, and over 970 encrypted phones.
Additionally, a freezing order was placed on a €15 million villa in Spain.