Encrypted phones used by mafia and drug dealers are being cracked down on by police

According to investigators, the Ghost platform, which ran on encrypted phones, was used to facilitate numerous crimes, including murder, drug trafficking and money laundering.

An encrypted messaging system that criminals have been using for years has been shut down after police managed to hack the network.

Europol announced on Wednesday that it had taken down Ghost, a company that sold encrypted phones to criminals including mafia groups, drug traffickers and money lenders.