EUROPOL CO-ORDINATES PAN-EUROPEAN TAKEDOWN OF DRUG NETWORKS USING SKY ECC AND ANOM INTELLIGENCE
By AML Intelligence Staff
Brussels | April 15, 2025
EUROPOL on Tuesday announced the dismantling of four sprawling criminal networks behind one of the largest drug trafficking and money laundering operations across Europe and Türkiye.
The operation was made possible by intelligence extracted from encrypted platforms Sky ECC and ANOM, Europol said Tuesday.
In a co-ordinated crackdown involving 232 arrests and the seizure of €300 million in assets, law enforcement agencies from six countries—Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Türkiye—joined forces to strike at every level of the organisations’ infrastructure, from street-level logistics to top-tier command.
“From logistics coordinators to the top tier of the criminal infrastructure, no one is beyond reach when countries work together and act on solid intelligence,” said Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s Executive Deputy Director for Operations.
SKY ECC and ANOM Continue to Deliver
Dubbed Operation BULUT (Turkish for “cloud”), the crackdown relied on intelligence extracted from the now-defunct encrypted communications platforms, whose data is still proving vital years after the services were shut down.
French judicial authorities shared decrypted SKY ECC data with Turkish investigators, while Australian Federal Police provided intelligence from the ANOM platform. Together, this provided unprecedented visibility into the operations of Europe’s most entrenched drug trafficking groups.
The decrypted data revealed extensive drug pipelines, with links to the trafficking of 21 tonnes of narcotics, including 3.3 million MDMA tablets, as well as activity spanning money laundering, arms trafficking, and violent crime.
Europol facilitated the deployment of Turkish National Police officers to its The Hague headquarters, where they worked in joint analytical teams to trace connections across jurisdictions and target High-Value Targets embedded in Türkiye and the EU.
Coordinated Raids, Major Seizures
On April 15, authorities executed synchronised raids across Europe and Türkiye. The operation netted:
- 232 arrests, including key High Value Targets
- €300 million in seized assets, including 681 properties and 127 vehicles
- A web of transnational logistics hubs, laundering systems, and smuggling routes
Each of the networks operated independently but collectively exerted significant control over Europe’s cocaine and synthetic drug trade. Their financial infrastructure, investigators revealed, included front companies, crypto exchanges, and complex real estate structures.
Europol Role
Europol led the strategic and operational coordination, organising multi-country briefings, cross-checking encrypted intelligence with its datasets (including PNR), and deploying a real-time coordination platform during the raids to ensure swift adjustments and tactical flexibility.
“This case shows how powerful that data remains in identifying and dismantling high-value criminal networks,” Lecouffe added. “Years after their takedown, encrypted platforms like SKY ECC and ANOM are still helping law enforcement turn intelligence into action.”
The operation underscores Europol’s ongoing strategy to systematically target the EU’s most resilient criminal networks, particularly those with multinational logistics chains and financial arms capable of laundering illicit proceeds across jurisdictions.
Authorities Involved
- France: JUNALCO, National Police (OFAST)
- Netherlands: National Police
- Belgium: Federal Judicial Police Central Unit (DJSOC), East Flanders Police
- Germany: Federal Criminal Police (BKA)
- Spain: National Police, Guardia Civil
- Türkiye: National Police Narcotics Division, Interpol-Europol Department
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