These are 118 court files, already opened, which have been enriched with information extracted from the encrypted messages decrypted by the police. Investigators also seized more than 90 tons of drugs with a street value of 4.5 billion euros, as well as cash and property with a total value of almost 60 million euros. “Several dozen cases of corruption have also been brought to light. The most disturbing in my opinion,” said Eric Bisschop, the assistant federal prosecutor. “Because, between threats and blackmail or illegal rewards, these mafia-type phenomena must imperatively be eradicated quickly. The experience of other countries sufficiently demonstrates the risk of seeing them take root to the point of no longer being able to be controlled. by the institutions responsible for protecting society”, commented the magistrate.
On March 9, 2021, the federal judicial police launched one of the largest operations in Belgian judicial history, carrying out 200 searches on the territory and in other countries, with the help in particular of the Netherlands and France, and making 48 arrests, in the case called “Sky ECC”. The file was opened at the federal prosecutor’s office, following suspicions of the use of encrypted telephones by the criminal milieu, obtained by the company Sky ECC.
Months of work followed to decrypt a billion messages intercepted thanks to the investigation. To date, several hundred million of these messages have already been decrypted, the federal prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday. And the information obtained was shared by Belgium with 22 countries.
“Organized crime is constantly evolving. It behaves exactly like a classic economic ecosystem. Profit-driven entities surf on technical and technological progress to become more efficient, specialize in certain activities and form alliances, even chasing the competition. “, also explained Wednesday Eric Snoeck, director general of the Federal Judicial Police (PJF). “The criminal world is becoming more professional, becoming ever more violent, extending its spheres of influence to the planetary level and trying to gain a foothold in civil society. In this, it constitutes a discreet but very dangerous threat to our democracy”, declared the high official.
“The importance of international police cooperation is vital and it is necessary to continue investing in it. Belgium has made itself known in a positive sense [à la suite de la mise au jour du réseau crypté de Sky-ECC]. We feel this very clearly in our contacts with our international counterparts. We can be proud of it,” commented the police officer. And this all the more so since the results obtained in this case were achieved using limited staff and tools, according to the latter. “The members of our staff deserve much respect and recognition. This also applies to judicial authorities and other services that handle cases with us,” said Eric Snoeck.
“This case marks a decisive turning point for the Federal Judicial Police,” he continued. “It is more obvious than ever that innovation, the recruitment of profiles specialized in the fight once morest cybercrime and financial crime must imperatively be part of our projects. […] Belgium needs a strong, specialized, well-coordinated and modern PJF”, he insisted, recalling that “the Sky avalanche” comes on top of all the other missions which also require the efforts of the PJF. .
