The FBI and Australian law enforcement set up the encrypted chat service and ran it for over 3 years, seizing weapons, drugs and over $48m in cash. Law enforcement agencies have been selling encrypted phones to organized crime gangs for years, monitoring their conversations in what s being called the biggest law enforcement sting ever. On Monday, law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Australia and Europe announced that the massive global operation called Operation Ironside resulted in these moves, carried out in 16 countries over the preceding few days.
Source: https://threatpost.com/an0m-encrypted-chat-sting-arrest-800/166716/