Delta police constable working with European police on international cybercrime case

A Metro Vancouver police officer is headed to Europe to join authorities there in investigating an international cybercrime group believed to have stolen millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies.

Delta police Const. Dustin Classen will be travelling to The Hague, Netherlands, to meet with Europol investigators, the Delta Police Department said in a news release last week.

Classen is a member of the DPD's cybercrimes team, and his involvement in the international investigation stems from a local case he worked on, according to the DPD.

Earlier this year, a "mid-sized Delta business" had its computer network compromised, likely through known vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server system, police said. Months later, they said, the company's network was encrypted and it received a ransom demand.

“Microsoft issued patches in March, but this served to put cybercriminals on notice,” Classen said in the DPD release.

“Unpatched servers remain vulnerable to unauthorized access; once access is gained, cybercriminals can install further malicious software to maintain access, copy intellectual property and in ransomware attacks, encrypt the network, making it inaccessible to the victim company unless a ransom is paid.”

In this case, the Delta company was able to restore its network from backups, police said. The company also provided copies of the malware and other data to investigators, which Classen shared with other law enforcement agencies dealing with cybercrime.

"That sharing of information was valuable, revealing links between the Delta file and numerous international files," the department's release reads.

"Classen then joined an international working group as the Canadian lead investigator. The organized crime group has had significant impact, and is suspected in the theft of millions in cryptocurrencies."

The meeting with Europol this month is for review of the investigation to date and discussion of data and next steps, the DPD said.

“This is an invaluable opportunity for Const. Classen and the DPD to help build capacity, skills, and also form links and expand partnerships with international policing agencies,” said Insp. Heath Newton, head of investigation services for the DPD, in the release.

The in-person meeting was requested by Europol, according to Delta police, who said the European agency felt such a meeting would be necessary "to develop investigative strategies and coordinate a prosecutorial strategy."

The department says Classen will adhere to all COVID-19 requirements during his trip.