WhatsApp Involved In Drug Bust, Dealer Arrested

As one of the most secure messaging services in the world, WhatsApp is generally well-regarded for its encryption protocols. However, it would seem that even this couldn’t protect a drug dealer from being arrested in the UK after his fingerprints were identified via photos. It would seem that technology has advanced quite a bit further than the suspect anticipated.

There’s no doubt that what police in the South Whales precinct did in order to conduct the drug bust and arrest their suspect was groundbreaking. It’s almost like a concept that came out of a sci-fi novel or TV program. Using the photo of a bottle of ecstasy that included the fingers of the dealer, they were able to identify the suspect that then led to the arrest, the BBC reports.

This is a huge development in the world of criminal forensics since most people understand that fingerprints can only be tracked if a print is left on a physical surface. Now, it seems this is no longer the case since even photos of fingerprints can lead to an arrest.

11 convictions were secured thanks to the photo as well, which is believed to be a first of its kind in the region. South Wales police officer Dave Thomas told BBC as much in an interview.

"Ultimately, beyond everything else, we took a phone and looked at everything on it - we knew it had a hand with drugs on it," Officer Thomas said. "These guys [the dealers] are using the technology not to get caught and we need to keep up with advancements."

As The Verge notes, this development is also proof that photo and imaging technology has advanced far beyond what most people realized. The cameras that many folks use to take selfies or take pictures of their food are now advanced enough to also capture forensic evidence that can be used to convict people.