Why the Google Pixel Is Becoming the Go-To Phone for Organized Crime

Cybersecurity experts and Catalan police reveal how drug traffickers exploit the device’s open-source flexibility and GrapheneOS to evade surveillanc

According to a report by DiariAra, the Google Pixel smartphone has become a favored tool for organized crime, particularly drug trafficking networks, due to its flexibility and privacy capabilities. The claim comes from an officer of the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police, and was reinforced by René Serral, a cybersecurity expert at InLab FIB.

The Pixel’s appeal lies in its openness: it allows users to install alternative operating systems like GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused Android variant that doesn’t require Google apps. Criminal groups exploit this feature to turn the device into an almost untraceable communication tool, thanks to encrypted messaging and the ability to disable or physically remove hardware components like the microphone, GPS, and camera.

These phones can also be configured to self-wipe if the wrong PIN is entered too many times or a remote reset is attempted. As traditional wiretapping becomes ineffective, police forces have escalated their tactics. Now, with court authorization, they use trojans (malicious software) to gain full access to the criminals’ devices. This controversial method mirrors the European-wide Encrochat operation in 2020, which led to over 6,500 arrests and the seizure of tons of narcotics.

“If you don’t plant trojans, you’re dead in the fight against organized crime,” said the Catalan police official.