In recent years, there has been plenty of talk about the new Operation Venetic investigations as it aims to gain a hold of organised crime across the country.
Around £2 million and over 2 tonnes of drugs, including cocaine, have already been seized in Operation Venetic which has been the largest amount of pushback against criminal networks in the history of the UK.
It is widely speculated that the criminals in question have been using EncroChat to discuss their moves and next actions with safety and security.
Continue reading to find out more about this operation and to get a general overview of the whole network as well as the workings of what we can do to help any potential victims of this operation and supply the perfect defence lawyers to help your case.
What is EncroChat?
We have briefly mentioned above that many of the criminals within this large network of crime have been using EncroChat to communicate with one another without being caught by UK law enforcement engaging in criminal activity.
EncroChat is a communications network based primarily in Europe that allowed modified smartphones which allowed for completely encrypted communications between subscribers. EncroChat has been found to have been used on all sorts of devices such as Android phones, Apple iPhones, iPads and Macs.
It closed in 2020 due to Operation Venetic finding the majority of the users to be members of crime organisations in an infiltration of the system around March – June of 2020.
When it was closed down, EncroChat had around 60,000 subscribers to its program with around 1,000 arrests being made as a result of their endeavour.
This system has been used for many years and, as we stated previously, was shut down in 2020 because of the illegal activities of many using the encrypted services.
What Did Operation Venetic Involve?
Operation Venetic was an infiltration of the EncroChat servers to monitor the messages between certain suspected members of drug networks across Europe.
EncroChat was being used by criminals across Europe to communicate with one another safely due to the end-to-end encryption that EncroChat offers.
After the hack by police, they have now uncovered millions of pounds in cash and over 2 tonnes of drugs in the UK’s biggest-ever seizing operation in history.
Police were able to monitor over 20 million messages between different criminals about their plans and future movements for months before shutting the program down.
What Can Our Criminal Defence Services Do For You?
If you fear that you may be on the precipice of being interviewed about EncroChat or activities on the application, then our criminal defence lawyers are exactly what you need.
We can give you the legal support that you need to conquer this moving forward, as soon as you feel that you may be on the radar for questioning or arrests we can get you the legal defence you need to fight these allegations.
One thing that everyone should know is that it is not illegal to have an encrypted phone, however, this can make it very easy for you to get caught up in all of the EncroChat activity whether you meant it or not.
We can help you with your defence cases no matter how it is shaping up, we will stand by your side whatever your case is – you have legal human rights that you can exercise with the right legal team behind you.
EncroChat Legal Advice
We have a set list of goals we aim to achieve with our services, we wish to provide all of our clients with expert legal services and advice in all things EncroChat.
If you have recently been arrested or questioned due to EncroChat-related matters, then it is suggested that you find a good legal team that will build you the correct defence for your case.
We will treat each and every client as an individual person and not just another of our cases and will give you the best of our abilities for every minute that you are under our care.
We aim to be cost-efficient while also delivering high-quality results to those who need us, you can rest assured that we will always have your best interests at heart and give you the perfect legal advice for your EncroChat legal troubles.
Was Encrochat Legal?
As we mentioned briefly earlier, having your phone be encrypted in its communications is not illegal and nor was the overall use of EncroChat.
It is also important to note that the acquisition of the messages on EncroChat servers was perfectly legal to be submitted as evidence as they have been ruled by the court of appeal has ruled that law enforcement has obtained them via equipment interference as opposed to interception.
This can make building a defence case slightly more difficult – however, these decisions are being disputed by many of the people affected by the hack.
Conclusion
To conclude, Operation Venetic can be a potentially incredibly problematic thing for many people who were involved in EncroChat as a whole.
This is something that could be very concerning to many, especially with over 1,000 arrests already having been made and a further 10,000 expected to happen shortly.
Our team are entirely dedicated to the field of criminal defence and will fight to give you the best case possible to fight off these allegations. We are experts in finding and applying the strongest defence cases possible so you can be assured that you are in safe hands.
If you do have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our support team at 0330 133 6541 or you can email us at contact@encrochatsolicitors.com and we will reply as soon as possible.
