The U.S. Secret Service says its agents have taken down a sophisticated network of electronic devices scattered across several sites in and around New York City—equipment that investigators believe could have been used to cripple the city’s cellphone service and spread assassination threats against top U.S. officials.
Secret Service Uncover Massive Operation
Authorities said agents uncovered the operation at five locations within 35 miles of the city, seizing more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards. Alongside the electronics, agents also recovered 80 grams of cocaine, illegal firearms, computers, and phones.
“These devices gave criminals the ability to communicate anonymously and securely, making it harder for law enforcement to detect their activities,” explained Matt McCool, who heads the Secret Service’s New York Field Office. In a statement released Tuesday, he warned the network could have been powerful enough to disable cellphone towers and “effectively shut down the cellular network in New York City.”
McCool confirmed investigators are exploring whether the system was tied to efforts to disrupt this week’s United Nations General Assembly. “These recovered devices no longer pose a threat to the New York tristate area,” he said. “We are now focused on identifying who built this network and what their intentions were—including whether the goal was to interfere with the U.N. General Assembly and the communications of government and emergency services while world leaders are here in New York.”
Devices Potentially Targeted Emergency Response Systems
A second official, speaking on background, added that the devices could have been used to block emergency response systems. “This kind of setup can launch denial-of-service attacks,” the official said. “That means they could stop EMS or police from responding to an incident. At the same time, it lets criminals send encrypted messages without being tracked.”
Agents are now combing through the seized SIM cards, reviewing every call, text, and online search in an attempt to trace the network’s origins.
According to McCool, the investigation began earlier this year after the Secret Service noticed a spike in telecommunication-based threats directed at high-level government officials. The agency has not disclosed which officials were targeted.
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