Dubai became a haven for criminals due to its lax taxation, ease of real estate purchase, and initially nonchalant relationship with foreign law enforcement.
This attracted criminals seeking refuge and a high quality of life, turning Dubai into a hub for meetings and operations.
Ironically, while overlooking other criminal activities, Dubai authorities cracked down on the sale of encrypted phones.
This dynamic shifted recently as Dubai began cooperating more with international law enforcement, extraditing criminals and changing its reputation.
The FBI's operation involving Anom highlighted this shift, demonstrating increased international collaboration in law enforcement.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Paris Marx is joined by Joseph Cox to discuss how the FBI created an encrypted phone company called Anom to read criminals’ messages and eventually carry out the largest international sting operation by law enforcement.
Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon.
The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry.