During searches across Belgium last week, three suspects were arrested in an investigation into illegal arms trafficking and money laundering, the Antwerp public prosecutor's office announced.
Police seized over €500,000 in cash, weapons, and ammunition. Two suspects, aged 21 and 26, were arrested.
The criminal organisation was discovered as a result of cracked messages from the Sky ECC encrypted messaging service, which was used by police to arrest over 3,000 suspects and convict around 900 people. Intercepted messages from the platform have served as the basis of investigations into Belgium's organised drug gangs.
In the Sky ECC messages viewed by Antwerp police, discussion were viewed in relation to the sale of weapons and ammunition. The suspects were actively searching for buyers on the platform. In June, the Antwerp public prosecutor's office requested that an investigating judge be assigned to the case.
"He ordered five searches in Antwerp and Deurne on Wednesday. Three men, aged 21,26, and 28 were arrested. In the case of one of the suspects, €500,000 in cash, a handgun, a bag of ammunition, a large bag of cannabis, and 16 Google Pixel brand mobile phones were found," the prosecutor's office announced.
In the possession of another suspects, police found another 5,000 in cash. The vehicle owned by one of the detainees was set to be "equipped with a hidden compartment to transport goods."
Two of the suspects were detained. They will will appear before the Antwerp court on Tuesday.
