FBI app lures global criminals into police hands - BBC News

Police in sixteen countries have arrested hundreds of people after intercepting millions of messages by suspected members of organised crime groups. Those detained had been tricked into using a messaging app run by the FBI and officials in Australia.

Eight tonnes of cocaine drugs, 250 weapons, luxury vehicles and more than $48m (£34m) in various worldwide currencies and cryptocurrencies were also seized in the operation.

#BBCNews

[bmandville]

This should disrupt the supply chain for a week and a half

[rajiphilips]

Hope the FBI and other agencies are looking into the issue of trafficking of minor girls from the third world and developing countries.

[psyanide]

To quote Saul: ''Criminals. You'd think they'd be smarter, but they're not. It's sad.''

[JogBird]

cool, but the problem is that you can only do this once, from now on criminalls will adapt and now you lost your leverage... they shouldnt have gone public with the info

[Revjtl]

Hopefully some child trafficking pedophiles will get caught up in this sting.

[EchoBravo]

It is clear why they went public about this sting:
Because once everyone started to be arrested, AND the evidence at their trials included information from the app, the underworld would have stopped using it anyway.

[taterusky]

these criminals need to take it back a couple centuries and start training pigeons to deliver the messages lol

[davidt]

Should have read the terms and conditions of the app. Oh they lied about them? Wait for the criminals to sue the FBI for breach of privacy and data sharing. 🤣😂🤣😂

[aneeshprasobhan]

If you do this in India, almost all the politicians would be locked up, and that's exactly why they would never do it. 😐

[eddiehogg]

I reckon there'll be a film on this in the future

[mccari]

Gotta love how they were selling them the phones for 2 grand 🤣

[godfather]

Can't wait for next season of Narcos

[stu]

This happened in the UK 2 years ago on encrypted handsets 😅

[public.public]

11:10 someone trying to stifle a fart on air.

[BWowed]

Should have been used on politicians instead. Would have done more good.

[weaverinahollygarden]

congratulations to all involved. Just shows what can happen when we all work together.

[anxiousmindmusic]

I mean we could just legalise it all, regulate and tax it and completely end the criminal trade overnight, but congrats guys 👏🤦

[chrissscottt]

Yes nice sting but you wouldn't need it if drug dependence was treated as a health issue.

[operationdabardos]

Poors get caught big boys still out there

[timodonnell]

Can't spell Entrappment (incorrectly) without App