A scrap of paper bearing written instructions for a drug deal is folded multiple times and wrapped with tape.
It is then taken to a local bakery, where it is picked up by someone who takes it to a household goods store. It is then handed over to a passer-by.
The message is never opened throughout this process, no matter how many times it may change hands. Sometimes, it may be left hidden under a rock for “contactless pickup” later.
It is impossible to retrace its journey by the time the memo has reached the last person, and that individual would burn it immediately upon receipt, too.
The above is a communication method used by Italy’s Sicilian Mafia. It feels completely antiquated in this age of smartphones.
However, a police officer I once interviewed in Rome assured me, “This method of communication is impervious to electronic interception and is unlikely to be picked up by surveillance cameras. It is the most untraceable method.”
I was reminded of this Mafia tradecraft by recent news reports about a string of violent burglaries in the Kanto region and elsewhere. The viciousness of the crimes, some lethal, outrages and horrifies me.
The perpetrators reportedly received instructions on a highly anonymous social media platform called Telegram.
Its advanced encryption function enables automatic deletion of messages after a certain time.
With the mastermind behind the crimes presumed to be based in the Philippines, Telegram is an “ideal” app for messaging “yami baito” (Japanese for “dark part-time jobs,” referring to shady or illegal work offered online) without leaving traceable evidence.
For law enforcement authorities, investigating crimes that take advantage of ever-advancing communication technology is becoming increasingly like a game of cat and mouse.
Originally developed in Russia, Telegram reportedly has more than 700 million users around the world now.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the presidents of both nations have been posting their remarks and videos on this platform, rapidly raising its profile.
In Sicily, a major Mafia boss was recently arrested after 30 years on the lam. And I understand it was a scrap of paper from eight years ago that enabled investigators to break the case.
There is no such thing as “complete confidentiality.” There must be a “hole” in the Japanese case, too.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 27
* * *
Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
VOX POPULI: Busting burglary ring shows there is no ‘complete confidentiality’
A scrap of paper bearing written instructions for a drug deal is folded multiple times and wrapped with tape.
It is then taken to a local bakery, where it is picked up by someone who takes it to a household goods store. It is then handed over to a passer-by.
The message is never opened throughout this process, no matter how many times it may change hands. Sometimes, it may be left hidden under a rock for “contactless pickup” later.
It is impossible to retrace its journey by the time the memo has reached the last person, and that individual would burn it immediately upon receipt, too.
The above is a communication method used by Italy’s Sicilian Mafia. It feels........
© The Asahi Shimbun
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