Secret Service dismantles telecommunications threat near UN General Assembly in New York

The U.S. Secret Service said Tuesday it dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed toward senior U.S. government officials. The devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City, the agency said.

Officials described the operation as an extensive telecommunications infrastructure designed to threaten protectees and potentially enable broader attacks on communications systems. The investigation yielded more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites, according to a statement released by the Secret Service. The agency said the devices could be used to carry out anonymous telephonic threats and to facilitate a wide range of telecommunications disruptions, including disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial-of-service attacks, and supporting encrypted communications between potential threat actors and associated criminal enterprises. Forensic examination is ongoing, and early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals already known to federal law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the New York Police Department and other state and local law enforcement partners are assisting with the investigation. The Secret Service said that given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications, authorities moved quickly to disrupt the network and mitigate potential harm to critical infrastructure.

"The potential for disruption to our country’s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said. "The U.S. Secret Service’s protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled."

The Secret Service added that the timing and proximity of the devices to the U.N. General Assembly heightened the urgency of the operation. President Donald Trump was scheduled to address the General Assembly during the session, a detail noted as part of the heightened security environment surrounding international diplomacy and high-profile speeches.

Two images are provided to illustrate the nature of the seized devices and the scale of the operation.

The investigation continues as authorities coordinate across federal, state and local partners to review the devices and related communications hardware. Officials emphasized the operational focus remains on protection and prevention around major diplomatic events and high-profile government figures, with ongoing monitoring for any new or related activity tied to the network.