Secret Service Dismantles NYC Telecom Threat During UN General Assembly

Secret Service Operation in NYC

• 🕵️‍♀️ The US Secret Service dismantled a large, hidden telecommunications network near New York City, approximately 30 miles from the UN headquarters.
• 🎯 This network had the potential to disable cell service and jam 911 calls, posing a significant threat during the UN General Assembly.

Scope and Nature of the Threat

• 🌐 The operation, which began in late spring, involved identifying and dismantling devices within a 35-mile radius of the UN, spanning multiple states in the tri-state area.
• 📱 Investigators discovered tens of thousands of co-located cellular devices capable of disabling cell towers and disrupting NYC's cellular network.
• 💬 These devices facilitated anonymous, encrypted communications for potential threat actors and criminal enterprises, allowing them to operate undetected.

Investigation and Collaboration

• ⚡ The Secret Service acted swiftly to disrupt the network, recovering the devices and preventing them from posing a threat.
• 🤝 The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations, and the NYPD.
• 🔍 Authorities are working to identify those responsible and determine if the intent was to disrupt the General Assembly, government communications, or simply to create widespread chaos in New York City.