Two years after the Sky ECC case erupted, investigations have been launched against 3,265 individual suspects, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne announced on Monday – the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The investigations are spread over 531 files and a total of €140 million of criminal money has been seized so far.
The cracking of a billion encrypted messages from Sky ECC's criminal cryptophone network allowed investigators to an insight into criminal networks and their ramifications for the first time. From street dealers, grenade throwers and hustlers to the drug barons at the top of the chain, every layer of the criminal network came into focus.
The Antwerp province accounted for 1,878 individual suspects and 352 files of the 3,265 suspects and 531 files – more than any other area in the country.
853 convictions so far
There were reportedly 488 convictions in March 2023 as a result of the Sky ECC operation. Currently, files are pending against 2,961 persons. "In recent months, nearly 400 persons have been convicted for their involvement, bringing the total to 853 first-instance convictions," the FPS Justice said.
Hundreds of people appealed the "severe" punishments. "Most of the trials before the court of appeal are yet to take place and will be initiated after the summer," the FPS added.
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"By cracking the Sky ECC network, we have dealt a heavy blow to organised crime," Van Quickenborne stated.
"[The FPS] Justice and police continue to pursue the attack we launched then to the fullest. Convictions are now steadily coming in, with an average of four drug criminal convictions in Sky ECC files per day in recent months."
The Justice Minister said that bringing down organised crime in Belgium is "a long-term job", but that the FPS Justice has "sunk its teeth into it and will not let go."
