Exclu was an encrypted messaging app that was shut down after a series of international raids in February 2023.[1]
Service
editExclu offered licences for three or six months, for €500 and €900 respectively.[1][2]
History
editIn 2019 German police raided CyberBunker, which led to them obtaining data needed to decrypt the Exclu services.[1] Data was shared with other police forces.[1][2]
On 3 February 2023 simultaneous raids took place on properties in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium.[1] 48 people were arrested, including administrators, developers and users of Exclu.[1]
Dutch police said that arrests were based on two distinct operations.[2] The first, called 26Sambar, started in September 2020 and targeted owners and managers of Exclu.[2] They were suspected of facilitating criminals.[2] The second, called 26Lytham, began in late April 2022.[2] This specifically targeted users suspected of being involved in organised crime.[2]
In February 2023 German police announced that George Mitchell was one of five major suspects behind the network.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Vigliarolo, Brandon (2023-02-07). "Eurocops shut down Exclu encrypted messaging app, arrest dozens". The Register. Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Dutch police take down Exclu encrypted chat service with 42 arrests, €4 million seized". NL Times. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- ^ Tallant, Nicola (2023-02-14). "German police target George 'The Penguin' Mitchell in encrypted phone network investigation". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 2023-02-18. Retrieved 2023-02-18.