Europol is warning of a new trend in the world of organized crime, involving the use of Bluetooth trackers.
Bluetooth trackers are designed to help people locate personal belongings and prevent theft vehicle, but security experts are noticing that these devices are now being used by criminals for illegal activities.
Europol says criminals are using this technology to track down illegal products. Most of the cases detected involve cocaine smuggling.
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Bluetooth trackers have been detected several times along with large shipments of cocaine, particularly in container shipments with food products and hidden in trunks inside ships.
Europol has confirmed that drug traffickers are using Bluetooth trackers to track the transit of illicit cargo after it arrives at ports. Essentially, through this small device, criminals are able to track the movement of cargo by road to storage locations in European markets. They are also likely to be used to track illegal shipments upon arrival at ports.
In response to this growing trend, Europol is warning all EU member states. According to the document, criminals are turning to Bluetooth trackers because they are small in size, affordable, have long battery life, and can even be waterproof.
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Bluetooth trackers are ineffective when out of range of paired devices. However, they offer an attractive solution for criminals looking for ways to continuously track and locate illicit goods.
According to Europol, this technology has also been used by criminals involved in the movement of illegal immigrants, but is mainly used for drug trafficking.
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Cooperating with law enforcement and reporting any suspicious activity can help protect against the malicious use of Bluetooth Trackers. Cooperating with law enforcement can help detect and combat criminal activity related to the use of Bluetooth Trackers for drug trafficking.
Source: www.infosecurity-magazine
