Image: © Stephen/Stock.adobe.com
Gardaí have seized dozens of encrypted devices and arrested 11 people, as part of a global operation to make a serious dent in organised crime.
Ireland’s police service has worked with a global taskforce to take down a dangerous criminal platform, with dozens of people arrested worldwide.
An Garda Síochána and authorities from eight other countries conducted a series of raids to take down an alleged criminal syndicate and their encrypted platform called Ghost. Europol says this platform was used to conduct large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, extreme violence and other forms of serious and organised crime.
Ghost was an advanced platform that had around 1,000 messages exchanges on it every day. It had three encryption standards and the option to self-destruct messages on target phones.
The investigation has been running since 2022 and 51 suspects have been arrested so far, including 38 in Australia and 11 in Ireland.
Gardaí told RTÉ that they seized 42 encrypted devices as part of the investigation, along with more than €15m worth of cocaine, cannabis and heroin. They also confirmed they are investigating four criminal gangs that used the Ghost platform.
Europol said the complex, global operation was made possible thanks to active cooperation among the different countries and it expects more arrests to be made as the investigation continues.
Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle said the Ghost platform was a “lifeline for serious organised crime”.
“Today we have made it clear that no matter how hidden criminal networks think they are, they can’t evade our collective effort,” De Bolle said. “This operation is what Europol is all about: turning collaboration into concrete results by bringing together the right people, tools and expertise to address every aspect of this complex operation.
“The work carried out is part of our ongoing commitment to tackling organised crime wherever it operates. I want to extend my gratitude to all our global partners who played a vital role in making this operation a success.”
Arresting those behind a cybercriminal platform is an important step to prevent it from rising again. For example, a global taskforce managed to disrupt the LockBit ransomware gang and seize its data leak website, but the gang was offering its services again after less than a week.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
