BERLIN: The use of Bluetooth trackers by criminal gangs to locate drug consignments has been reported by the European Union’s police agency, Europol, on Dec 11.
These “tracking tags” are most commonly found in shipments of cocaine sent from South America to European ports and markets, according to the agency based in The Hague.
In some rare cases, the trackers have been utilized in human trafficking, as well as property-related crimes. However, their primary use is to track illegal shipments after arriving at a European port and along the route to distribution depots.
The devices were originally designed to assist owners in finding items like keys or luggage by connecting with phone apps. Europol noted that their range is typically under 120 meters, but they are smaller and cheaper than GPS trackers, have a long battery life, and are waterproof.
“This means that Bluetooth trackers offer an attractive solution for criminals wishing to track and locate illicit commodities,” it concluded. – dpa
