The U.S. Secret Service has dismantled a vast telecommunications network spanning the New York tri-state area, which officials say posed a significant risk to the city’s cellphone system and potentially compromised the United Nations General Assembly.
Agents discovered more than 300 SIM servers and over 100,000 SIM cards at five abandoned sites located within a 35-mile radius of Manhattan. Investigators reported that the system was capable of sending 30 million text messages per minute, disabling cell towers, and disrupting emergency communications, including police and EMS dispatch.
“This network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City,” explained Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s New York Field Office. He added that the recovered devices “no longer pose a threat to the New York tristate area.”
Officials confirmed the system also enabled anonymous, encrypted communication, making it a tool for criminal enterprises. Early analysis indicates links to foreign governments, organised crime groups, drug cartels, and human trafficking operations. Alongside the telecom equipment, law enforcement recovered illegal firearms, computers, cellphones, and 80 grams of cocaine.
The investigation began earlier this year after a series of telecommunication-based threats targeted senior U.S. officials under Secret Service protection. Authorities declined to identify the officials involved, citing privacy concerns, but McCool noted the agency expects to uncover more details as forensic analysis continues.
Officials said each SIM card contains the equivalent data of a cell phone, and investigators are reviewing every call, text, and search stored on the cards. They also noted that the network had the capacity to send text messages to the entire country within minutes.
The discovery came as world leaders convened in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, heightening concerns about potential disruptions. “The timing, the location, the proximity of this network had the potential to impact the U.N., and that was clear and something that we had to consider,” McCool emphasized.
The Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations are leading the case with support from the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the NYPD. No arrests have been made, but officials warned that those responsible will face consequences.
