Anom

ANOM is an encrypted communications platform that gained notoriety for being used by criminal networks as a purportedly secure messaging system. The service was delivered through purpose-built devices and accompanying software that marketed features such as encrypted messaging, remote device control, and purported resilience against eavesdropping. It operated as a closed ecosystem, with a network of distributors and service providers supplying devices to users involved in illicit activity, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and other offenses.

In practice, ANOM’s architecture relied on centralized servers that routed messages within a controlled environment. The platform’s operators claimed strong security and anonymity, while law enforcement agencies later described the system as enabling criminals to coordinate operations covertly. The devices often appeared as ordinary consumer technology, but they ran a specialized app and firmware designed for the ANOM network.

In 2021, a coordinated international law enforcement operation—often cited as Operation Trojan Shield—revealed a different reality. Led by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Australian Federal Police, with involvement from partners in multiple countries, authorities established and controlled the ANOM ecosystem to monitor communications. The operation resulted in numerous arrests and substantial seizures across jurisdictions, and it disrupted a wide range of criminal enterprises connected to the platform.

The ANOM case has influenced discussions about encrypted communications, surveillance, and law enforcement techniques. Proponents emphasize the disruption of organized crime, while critics raise concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and the potential for overreach. Legal proceedings arising from the operation continued in several countries, reinforcing debates about how authorities should balance security and individual rights in the realm of encrypted messaging.