Midnight Operation in the North Sea
Sometime after midnight on May 26, 2020, a sleek black-and-white speedboat darted through the waves off the coast of Sweden. The two men on board were heading toward a set of coordinates in the darkness, equipped with navigation tools, night vision goggles, and fishing rods. The Donousa, a black and red, 225-meter-long cargo ship, was stationary in the water about 17 kilometers ahead.
Courtesy of PublicAffairs/Perseus Book LLC/Hachette Book Group
Unplanned Stop and High-Stakes Cargo
On its journey from Brazil to Poland, the Donousa made an unofficial stop in the North Sea. Corrupt sailors were preparing to offload nets containing 400 kilograms of cocaine. The men on the speedboat were part of a larger operation, communicating via encrypted Sky phones, which were designed to send secure messages and could be wiped remotely if necessary.
Challenges and Missteps
Despite the advanced technology, the operation faced several hiccups. The speedboat initially docked at the wrong location, and the packages of cocaine were so large that they struggled to fit them into the van. At the warehouse, tensions rose as the courier and the speedboat pilot, who barely spoke Swedish, clashed while verifying the cocaine.
Missing Cocaine and Rising Tensions
As the courier staged photographs of the cocaine for his bosses, they discovered that about 70 kilograms were missing. The pilot eventually confessed that some of the cocaine had been lost at sea when the duffle bags broke open. The courier, under immense pressure, asked the bosses to stop bombarding them with messages so they could think clearly.
Photo Evidence and Final Resolution
The courier and the pilot continued to send photographs to their bosses, showing the cocaine bricks and empty duffle bags. After two hours of this bizarre photo shoot, the bosses decided to treat the loss as a cost of doing business. The mastermind finally congratulated his team on the haul.
“Good job, everyone,” he texted in the group chat.
The Mastermind: Maximilian Rivkin
The mastermind behind this operation was Maximilian Rivkin, also known as Microsoft. A Swedish gangster originally from Serbia, Microsoft was a technologically savvy drug kingpin. He communicated in multiple languages and was always online, sending encrypted messages nearly every moment of his waking life.
Innovative Smuggling Techniques
Microsoft had numerous schemes for trafficking drugs, including hiding hash inside furniture, cocaine inside tiles, and even among shipments of tulips. He controlled various legitimate businesses, such as a timber company in Belgium and a vegetable company, to facilitate his smuggling operations.
Staying in His Lane
Despite his extensive criminal activities, Microsoft knew his limits. When someone suggested he get into trading gold, he declined, saying he only dealt with what he knew—smuggling drugs and using encrypted phones to maintain a network of contacts in the criminal underworld.
A Volatile Personality
Microsoft was known for his volatile moods. During a trip to Cartagena, Colombia, he went on a drug-fueled rampage through the Hyatt Regency, throwing furniture out of a smashed window. His outburst was so dangerous that the hotel and a nearby supermarket were evacuated. Colombian authorities later expelled him from the country.
### The Rise and Fall of Anøm: A Global Sting Operation
The Unpredictable Microsoft
Microsoft, a notorious figure in the criminal underworld, was known for his erratic behavior. He could switch from threatening violence to congratulating his drug gang in an instant. A colleague once joked that Microsoft had seven different personalities, each with its own encrypted phone. He carried two Sky phones and even dealt encrypted phones himself, persuading other criminals to join him on Sky. Microsoft also used Anøm, a rival encrypted phone service.
Operation Trojan Shield
The FBI had a secret: they controlled Anøm, a honeypot more effective than EncroChat. Under the code name Operation Trojan Shield, the FBI managed Anøm, intercepting messages between criminals. The operation began in 2018 after the FBI shut down Phantom Secure, another encrypted phone company. This created a market vacuum, and a Phantom Secure distributor named Afgoo saw an opportunity.
Afgoo’s Offer
Afgoo, on the verge of starting his own encrypted phone service, approached the FBI with an offer. In exchange for a reduced sentence, he would give the FBI control of his new startup, Anøm. The FBI and the Australian Federal Police, who had helped take down Phantom Secure, accepted the offer. They built a backdoor into Anøm’s encryption and ran a beta test in Australia. Every beta tester used the phones for criminal activities, and the police intercepted all communications.
Global Expansion
Anøm’s word-of-mouth marketing helped it grow, especially in Europe. The FBI began learning about drug shipments and assassination attempts in other countries and shared tips with foreign law enforcement. As Anøm’s user base grew, the FBI gave some foreign partners direct access to Anøm’s messages through a surveillance system called Hola iBot. Sweden was one of the countries that joined the operation.
“I just wanted to scream out to all my colleagues,” Esplund later said—to shout his admiration for what the Americans had pulled off.
Sweden’s Involvement
Sweden’s police set up a secure room where Esplund’s team worked around the clock, eavesdropping on Anøm messages. They recreated a miniature version of the FBI’s San Diego wiretap rooms. The team became familiar with Anøm’s biggest booster in Sweden and his new schemes.
The Amphetamine Lab
Microsoft’s latest project was an amphetamine lab in the basement of a cottage in the Swedish countryside. The house, intended as a vacation rental, was in a state of mid-renovation. The basement lab contained equipment for cooking speed, including a machine for pressing amphetamine into blocks and a dough mixer likely stolen from a bakery. The lab represented a significant advancement in Microsoft’s drug empire.
ILLUSTRATION: ALVARO DOMINGUEZ
Suspicious Neighbors
Lars*, a neighbor, often watched the men living in the cottage through his curtains. The men rarely used the front door, preferring the basement entrance. Locals noticed strange behaviors, like digging and covering holes repeatedly and washing vehicles frequently. One man, Pawel Brzozowiec, mowed the lawn erratically and always wore shorts and a T-shirt, even in the cold.
Conclusion
The Anøm operation was a groundbreaking sting that allowed law enforcement to monitor criminal activities globally. The FBI’s control of Anøm and the cooperation of international partners like Sweden led to significant breakthroughs in combating organized crime.
Editor’s Note: Names marked with an asterisk (*) in this story have been changed to protect people from retaliation by organized crime or law enforcement. Maximilian Rivkin (Microsoft) and Hakan Ayik have been charged with numerous crimes detailed in this story, but remain unconvicted at time of publication. Other named individuals who are described as being involved in Microsoft’s drug enterprises have been convicted.### The Firm: A Deep Dive into a Narcotics Empire
Introduction
Microsoft, a notorious figure in the narcotics world, expanded his operations from smuggling and distribution to manufacturing amphetamines. His ambition was to ship his lab’s product as far as Australia once production was optimized.
The Firm’s Key Players
Microsoft and His Associates
Microsoft was not alone in his endeavors. He was part of a four-person group known as the Firm, which collectively had 50 years of prison experience. The members included:
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Tommy Bogebrink (Mr. Lansky or Zedd): A university-educated business lawyer and trained sea captain, Bogebrink handled accounting and sales on the dark web. He was the stabilizing force against Microsoft’s erratic behavior.
“You must not let him stress you. He is not well.”
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Alexander Jovanovic (Soko): An aging gangster who had known Microsoft since childhood. He was convinced to come out of retirement to help with Anøm and was deeply involved in running the amphetamine lab.
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MK: A mysterious figure whose identity was unknown even to Bogebrink and Jovanovic. Each member owned 25% of the Firm, but Microsoft saw it as his company.
Operations and Communication
Anøm: The Backbone of Operations
The Firm used Anøm, an encrypted communication platform, for all their activities. They had dedicated group chats for different aspects of their operations, including:
- Oil Chat: For organizing the transport of amphetamine oil.
- Courier and Getaway Drivers: Managed by Jakub Walczak, who oversaw lab operations.
Microsoft coordinated sales across Sweden, directing drop-offs in various locations via Anøm. Buyers provided car details, and couriers placed the amphetamine in the cars without seeing each other.
Expansion and Challenges
Global Ambitions
Microsoft aimed to scale his drug lab’s production to export to Australia, where profits would be significantly higher. By December, the lab could produce over a ton of amphetamine a month. Microsoft was in contact with major global players, planning to import more oil and expand their market reach.
The Role of Anøm Phones
The Firm was a major user and seller of Anøm phones. Jovanovic actively collaborated in distributing these devices, pitching them as investments to high-ranking criminals. This strategy helped Anøm gain recognition in Europe.
Law Enforcement’s Perspective
The Police’s New Insight
Before Anøm, Swedish police had no knowledge of the Firm. The platform provided them with unprecedented insight into organized crime. They discovered that criminals had used Anøm to plan and execute an assassination in Stockholm, known as ”the Bridge.”
Constant Threats and Violence
Microsoft’s erratic behavior made law enforcement’s job difficult. He frequently discussed violent plans, including killing, kidnapping, and bombing. His threats were a constant source of concern for the police.
“Sadly we have to be violent too so people see that we go all the way. It has to be Mexico style on all of them.”
Conclusion
Microsoft’s ambitions and the Firm’s operations were extensive and complex, involving a network of associates and sophisticated use of technology. However, their activities eventually came under the scrutiny of law enforcement, leading to their downfall.
6 Comments
Was it really necessary to go that big?
Is it just me, or does that sound like the plot of a Hollywood movie?
Imagine the paperwork!
Were the criminals completely blindsided or what!
Victoria Hayes: If movies are based on real events, this is the proof!
Ever thought about whether they exaggerated the whole thing?