For the first time, Telegram hands criminal user data to Dutch authorities

Telegram’s wall of silence has cracked. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service said it obtained data on criminal suspects for the first time, the national broadcaster NOS reports.

In recent weeks, Telegram has released data for twenty criminal cases involving weapons trafficking, drug trade, and illegal content involving minors. The platform also helped remove inappropriate content.

Previously, Telegram barely responded to any judicial request to remove illegal content. Due to the lack of cooperation, authorities started investigations, and Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France. Later he paid €5 million bail and was released.

Now, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service is “very pleased” that the Telegram messaging platform is cooperating, the NOS reports.

“However, we need to determine if this represents a genuine breakthrough or if these are isolated incidents,” the spokesperson for the service said.

Dutch authorities have built a strong reputation in cybercrime investigation following takedowns of dark web marketplaces such as Hansa and AlphaBay, or encrypted communication networks such as EncroChat or Sky ECC.