The investigation was initially sparked by encrypted messages found on the smartphone of a man convicted of a crime against a Dutch journalist, leading to a broader inquiry into the Matrix platform.

A significant police operation across France, Spain, Germany, and Lithuania has successfully dismantled Matrix, a sophisticated messaging platform designed for criminal use.

Matrix operated on over 40 servers primarily located in France and Germany, providing features such as encrypted messaging, video calls, transaction tracking, and anonymous internet browsing.

During the investigation, authorities intercepted and decrypted more than 2.3 million messages in 33 languages, revealing extensive criminal communications.

The operation, named Passionflower, was supported by Europol and Eurojust and lasted three months, allowing law enforcement to monitor communications on the platform.

The specifics of how police infiltrated Matrix's messaging system remain undisclosed, but the operation marks a notable achievement in the fight against organized crime.

This operation follows previous successful infiltrations of encrypted messaging systems, including EncroChat and Sky ECC, which have led to thousands of arrests and significant seizures.

Described as a messaging service created by criminals for criminals, Matrix had over 8,000 users who paid between €1,300 and €1,600 for dedicated phones and subscriptions.

Authorities have invited innocent users of Matrix, such as lawyers and doctors, to contact them for potential data deletion, emphasizing their commitment to protecting non-criminal users.

Europol and Eurojust highlighted that while this takedown is significant, it is not the last, as new encrypted services are likely to emerge following the dismantling of existing ones.

The platform was technically more advanced than previous services like Sky ECC and EncroChat, requiring invitation-only access and offering enhanced security features.

In addition to dismantling the platform, authorities seized €145,000 in cash, cryptocurrencies valued at half a million euros, four vehicles, and over 970 phones, while freezing properties worth around €15 million.