The US Secret Service disrupted a network of telecommunications devices that could have shut down cellular systems as leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
The agency said on Tuesday that last month it found more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards that could have been used for telecom attacks within the area encompassing parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
This network had the power to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City, said special agent in charge Matt McCool.
The devices were discovered within 35 miles (56km) of the UN, where leaders are meeting this week.
McCool also noted the well-organized and well-funded scheme was linked to nation-state actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement. The implicated individuals were sending encrypted messages to various organized crime groups, cartels, and terrorist organizations.
The equipment could have potentially sent 30 million disruptive texts in under 12 minutes and disabled mobile phone towers, severely impacting emergency communication systems.
The equipment was seized from abandoned apartment buildings across more than five locations, although officials kept the specific details under wraps.
This discovery came after anonymous telephonic threats directed at three US government officials, including someone from the Secret Service and two working at the White House.
Investigation also unveiled the presence of illegal firearms, computers, and phones, alongside 80 grams of cocaine. The ongoing UN General Assembly has drawn more than 100 world leaders, emphasizing the potential crisis that was averted.
