The U.S. Secret Service has successfully disrupted a vast telecommunications network in the New York tri-state area, which posed a significant risk to the integrity of New York's telecom systems and potential threats to the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings. This operation marks one of the largest seizures of its kind in recent history, as the agency revealed on Tuesday that it discovered active SIM farms in abandoned apartment buildings across more than five locations.
Law enforcement officials uncovered a staggering total of 300 SIM servers containing over 100,000 SIM cards. These devices facilitated encrypted and anonymous communication, with the capability of sending up to 30 million text messages per minute. According to U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge, Matt McCool, the power of these servers was such that they could potentially disable cell phone towers and execute distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, which could disrupt emergency communications, including those of EMS and police dispatch.
"This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City," McCool stated in a video released by the agency. An official familiar with the investigation reported that the sophisticated network could have sent text messages to the entire country within just 12 minutes. They remarked, "This was well organized and well funded."
The investigation was sparked by telephonic threats directed at multiple senior U.S. officials earlier this spring, including several individuals under the protection of the Secret Service. Although officials refrained from disclosing the identities of the targeted individuals to protect their privacy, McCool noted that ongoing forensic analysis is expected to reveal more about the individuals involved.
Preliminary findings indicate that the network was utilized for communications between foreign governments and individuals already known to U.S. law enforcement, including members of organized crime groups, drug cartels, and human trafficking rings. "Each SIM card essentially holds the data equivalent of a cell phone," an official explained to CBS News, emphasizing the thorough forensic analysis being conducted on the more than 100,000 SIM cards seized.
Remarkably, the equipment was located within 35 miles of the United Nations headquarters in New York, coinciding with the timing of the U.N. General Assembly. Additional evidence uncovered during the operation included 80 grams of cocaine, illegal firearms, computers, and mobile phones. "This isn't a group of people in a basement playing a video game; this was well organized and well funded," one official asserted.
The investigation was initiated by the newly formed Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit within the U.S. Secret Service, established by Director Sean Curran in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations. "These devices no longer pose any threat to New York," an official confirmed. "We've dismantled that threat… There is currently no credible threat against the U.N." However, another official cautioned against assuming that similar networks do not exist elsewhere in the U.S.
The investigation remains active, with no arrests made thus far. Officials hinted at the possibility of future arrests, stating, "From an operational perspective, we want those behind the network to know that the Secret Service is aware and that we're coming for them." The Homeland Security Investigations is leading the criminal inquiry into those involved in coordinating this large-scale scheme, while the U.S. Secret Service focuses on threats related to its protectees.
In a statement, the U.S. Secret Service expressed gratitude to the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the NYPD, and other state and local law enforcement partners for their technical advice and assistance during this significant operation.
