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19-09-2024
DUBLIN: More than 50 people have been arrested as part of a major international investigation which dismantled an encrypted communication platform.
The platform, known as Ghost, was used to facilitate a wide range of criminal activities, including large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence and other forms of serious and organized crime.
Europol and Eurojust, together with international law enforcement, worked together to carry out the operation.
Over the course of the investigation, 51 suspects were arrested, including 38 in Australia, 11 in Ireland, one in Canada and one in Italy belonging to the Italian Sacra Corona Unita mafia group.
Europol also said a number of threats to life were prevented and a drug laboratory in Australia was dismantled.
Weapons, drugs and over €1m (£842,270) in cash were also seized globally so far, the body added.
Ireland’s day of action
In Ireland, Gardaí (Irish police) seized a total of €15.2m (£12.8m) worth of cocaine and 42 suspected encrypted devices.
They had been investigating four identified organized crime groups and support networks based in the Dublin and eastern region.
On Monday, more than 300 gardai searched 27 premises.
Representatives from Europol, Australian Federal Police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation were also in Ireland in support of the ongoing operation.
During these searches, investigating gardai seized; €300,000 (£252,795) in cash, two cryptocurrency keys (contents under investigation) 42 suspected Ghost ECC encrypted devices, 126 other mobile devices, 27 laptops, 200 plus SIM cards, six Rolex watches, one 2021 Range Rover Jeep.
They also intercepted an articulated truck in the south-east of the country on Monday.
Following a search of the truck, gardai recovered 100kg of cocaine in a deep concealment.
This cocaine, subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland, is valued at €7m (£5.8m).
Five men, aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s, have been arrested in relation to this part of the operation.
In a statement on Wednesday, An Garda Síochána said the Ghost platform had gained traction among criminal organisations due to its advanced security features.
Users could purchase the solution without any personal information.
The solution used three encryption standards and offered the option to send a message followed by a specific code that results in self-destruction of all messages on the target phone. This allowed criminal networks to communicate securely, evade detection, counter forensic measures, and coordinate their illegal operations across borders.
Worldwide, several thousands of individuals used the tool, which has its own infrastructure and applications with a network of resellers based in several countries.
On a global scale, around a thousand messages are being exchanged each day via Ghost. As servers were found in France and Iceland, the company owners were located in Australia, and financial assets were located in the United States, a global operation against the phone service started.
Further arrests to the 51 already made are anticipated in the global investigation. (Int’l News Desk)
