A new Channel 4 documentary-drama, Operation Dark Phone: Murder By Text, is set to reveal the inner workings of a major police operation that hacked the encrypted phone network EncroChat in 2020. For 74 days, international law enforcement had access to thousands of messages used by organised crime gangs to coordinate drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnap and murder.
The series, from the makers of 24 Hours in Police Custody, is built around intercepted messages that appear on screen as screenplay dialogue. Former National Crime Agency gold commander Matt Horne described the network as 'the LinkedIn of organised crime'. Codewords were used by criminals, with 'sweets' meaning bullets and 'pineapple' meaning grenade.
One storyline follows a violent British criminal known as Live-long, based in Spain, who orchestrates an acid attack while sharing images of his breakfast. Another involves a gang leader named Ace-prospect, who imports AK-47s and Glocks into the UK. In one incident, a hitman throws a grenade into a garden, but it fails to explode, leaving police with a dilemma over how to protect nearby children while keeping their operation secret.
The show also highlights the sheer volume of threats uncovered. Agents typically encounter fewer than 100 explicit threats to life in a year, but after the hack they intercepted more than 150 in just six weeks. The NCA faced a 24-hour delay in receiving message data, forcing round-the-clock work to close the gap.
While the glossy recreations may make criminals look glamorous, the programme is described as a morality tale. Live-long's identity is eventually uncovered after he sends a selfie, illustrating how criminals' vanity and oversharing led to their downfall. The four-part series promises more revelations and is set to air Sunday at 9pm on Channel 4.
