Phantom Secure CEO busted for supplying drug cartels with smartphones

The chief executive of Phantom Secure, a firm that created highly-secure smartphones for some of the most scandalous criminals, has been indicted.

The Canadian-based firm sold modified Blackberry devices used by Sinaloa Cartel, the biggest drug dealer in the world, and other criminals, earning the company “tens of millions of dollars”.

Agents found out that around 20,000 Phantom Secure-modified handsets are in use worldwide.

‘A life sentence in prison’

The company has been charged with racketeering and conspiracy to aid the distribution of drugs, leaving the criminals with a life sentence in prison, including Vincent Ramos in Seattle last week.

“This organisation Phantom Secure was designed to facilitate international drug trafficking all throughout the entire world,” US attorney Adam Braverman told the BBC.

“These traffickers, including members of the Sinaloa Cartel, would use these fully-encrypted devices to facilitate their drug trafficking activities in order to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.”

It was also found that Phantom Secure sold the devices on a subscription basis at a cost of US$2,000 to US$3,000 for six months of use.

Written by Leah Alger

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