Belgian court convicts 119 people in Sky ECC case

In a historic judgment, the Brussels Court of First Instance has concluded the groundbreaking ‘Encro’ trial, targeting an extensive criminal network involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, extortion and more.

The trial, which began in December 2023, brought a series of charges against 128 suspects, including participation in a criminal organization, kidnapping and extortion. Nine of the defendants were acquitted, while the remaining 119 were sentenced to between 14 months and 17 years in prison.

The number of defendants marked the trial as one of the most extensive criminal proceedings ever in Belgium.

“As one of the largest criminal trials in the country’s history, its organization posed a significant challenge for the court,” the court press release said, adding that the judgment was almost 1,500 pages long.

The investigation stemmed from the decryption of messages on the EncroChat And Heaven ECC platforms – two encrypted communications systems widely used by organized crime groups across Europe.

French and Dutch police initially cracked EncroChat in 2020, expose widespread criminal activity involving cocaine imports from South America and cannabis smuggling from Morocco.

Belgian authorities expanded the case further in 2021 after gaining access to Sky ECC data, leading to evidence of extensive drug labs, large cash holdings and corruption reaching Belgium’s legal and logistics sectors.

The court heard more than sixteen months of testimony from defendants, including high-profile organized crime figures and even a Brussels police inspector accused of leaking confidential information.

The evidence presented ranges from coded messages coordinating drug shipments to bank details revealing money laundering activities linked to Antwerp, a major entry point for illegal drugs into Europe.

The court’s decision is reportedly subject to appeal.