Secret Service Thwarts Major Telecom Threat to NYC and UN General Assembly

The U.S. Secret Service has successfully dismantled a vast telecommunications network in the New York tri-state area, which posed a significant threat to the region’s telecom systems and the ongoing United Nations General Assembly meetings. This operation marks the largest seizure of its kind, with investigators uncovering active SIM farms at over five abandoned apartment buildings.

Authorities discovered 300 SIM servers containing more than 100,000 SIM cards. These sophisticated setups were capable of sending 30 million text messages per minute and enabling encrypted, anonymous communication. Officials warned that the network’s power could have potentially disabled cell phone towers and launched distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, thereby blocking critical emergency communications, including EMS and police dispatch.

Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool of the U.S. Secret Service stated, “This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City.” An official briefed on the investigation revealed that the network could have messaged the entire country within 12 minutes, emphasizing its well-organized and well-funded nature.

The investigation was triggered by telephonic threats made this past spring to multiple senior U.S. officials, including Secret Service protectees. The network was seized within the last three weeks, with equipment found within 35 miles of the United Nations. Alongside the telecom gear, investigators also discovered 80 grams of cocaine, illegal firearms, computers, and phones.

Early analysis suggests the network facilitated communication between foreign governments and individuals known to U.S. law enforcement, including members of organized crime gangs, drug cartels, and human trafficking rings. The U.S. Secret Service is currently conducting an exhaustive forensic analysis of the seized SIM cards.

The operation was launched by the Secret Service’s new Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations. While officials confirm that the immediate threat to New York and the UN has been neutralized, they caution against assuming that no other such networks exist in the U.S. The investigation is ongoing, with potential arrests expected as the forensic analysis continues.

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