Authorities Take Down Encrypted Messaging Service Matrix

Authorities from the Netherlands and France have successfully dismantled the MATRIX encrypted messaging platform, widely used for international drug and arms trafficking, following a three-month investigation. The platform was initially discovered on the phone of a criminal involved in the murder of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries. During the operation, law enforcement agencies intercepted and decoded over 2.3 million messages in 33 languages, revealing links to serious crimes such as drug trafficking and money laundering. The takedown resulted in the arrest of suspects in France and Spain and searches conducted in Lithuania. MATRIX's advanced security features allowed only invitation-based access, attracting around 8,000 users who paid significant fees for subscriptions. This operation underscores the importance of international collaboration in combating cybercrime and criminal communications.