Are You Safe to Travel With Your Phone?
In Spain, owning one of these widely used Android smartphones can land you in trouble. In Catalonia, law enforcement is beginning to classify these world-famous Android smartphones as criminal tools. You or someone close to you may own such a device. Is it necessary to dispose of them before heading for a vacation in Barcelona this summer?
The Catalan daily Ara reported, citing police sources, that the favorite smartphone of drug dealers and drug traffickers is not the iPhone but an Android smartphone. And not just any smartphone! The reason for this suspicion is the open nature of Android and the possibilities it offers through Google’s mobile operating system.
Non-Samsung or Xiaomi smartphones are safe
Catalan authorities would target Google Pixel smartphones in particular. “Every time we see a Google Pixel, we assume it belongs to a drug dealer,” said an official from the Spanish National Police, as quoted by the media outlet Xatakandroid.
The Google Pixel is often praised for its sleek software experience and fast updates. Unfortunately, drug dealers seek it out for a totally different reason: their ability to run GrapheneOS, an alternative operating system that focuses on privacy, security, and control over personal data.
Catalan police are concerned by this approach, which prioritizes data protection, encryption, and resistance to surveillance. For them, this is reason enough to suspect anyone using a Google Pixel. GrapheneOS is only compatible with Google’s smartphones. This restriction is because only Pixel devices have certain software and hardware components required for GrapheneOS to function.
The police (over)react
According to the Catalan police, members of criminal networks have even gone so far as to deactivate or physically remove cameras, microphones, and GPS devices from their Pixel devices. What is the aim? To prevent these devices from being tracked or bugged. The “Locate my device” function is often misused to remotely delete data if a device is confiscated by the police.
Faced with this form of potential abuse, the Catalan law enforcement agencies have decided to go on the offensive. They are now using spyware to try to break through the defenses of these devices, even if they are running GrapheneOS. The aim is to obtain messages, photos, videos, or confidential documents that could be used as evidence in drug trafficking investigations.
Should you leave your Pixel at home if you’re traveling to Spain this summer?
Google has no involvement in the potential criminal use of its Pixel devices, and GrapheneOS is also not responsible for it. GrapheneOS was released in 2014, initially under the name CopperheadOS. The operating system was developed for users who want a Google-free experience that better protects their data. It offers advanced features, including metadata encryption, fine-grained permission management, and enhanced intrusion detection. In short, everything you need to escape surveillance.
The general public has somewhat overlooked the trend towards alternative operating systems on Android, but it is still attracting considerable interest from advanced users. Murena, an alternative operating system from France that can be pre-installed on the Fairphone, is a notable example of this.
Through a chain of events, criminals have found the perfect combo to evade authorities. A powerful smartphone with an open system on which a secure operating system can be installed. Rest assured, you won’t be arrested by the Spanish police just because you own a Google Pixel 9 (read review).
Perhaps a routine check might occur if you own such a smartphone, so it’s better to be informed. Then again, unless you’re on any illicit substances or part of a drug cartel, the police won’t bother you for long.