Police Crack Down on Global Criminal Network, Arresting 51 Members and Dismantling Encrypted Communication Platform

September 18, 2024 TruthUSA

Europol stated that the encrypted communication platform, known as Ghost, was utilized for ‘large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence.’

A worldwide police operation successfully dismantled the encrypted communication platform Ghost, which was reportedly employed by criminals, resulting in 51 arrests across the globe.

Conducted by Europol, the operation included a series of “coordinated raids and technical interventions” that led to the shutdown of Ghost servers in France and Iceland, as per Europol’s press release on Sept. 18 [source].

Ghost was utilized as a means to “execute a broad range of criminal activities, including large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence, and other serious forms of organized crime,” as confirmed by Europol.

According to the European Union’s law enforcement agency, a total of 51 suspects were apprehended: 38 in Australia, 11 in the Republic of Ireland, one in Canada, and one in Italy.

Among the detainees in Australia was 32-year-old Jay Je Yoon Jung, who is believed to be the creator and administrator of the Ghost platform.

Jung, who allegedly launched Ghost nine years ago, was taken into custody in the early hours of Sept. 17 at a residence in Sydney.

Europol confirmed that the operation prevented “threats to life,” shut down a drug lab in Australia, and retrieved weapons, drugs, and over 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in cash.

Europol revealed that Ghost became popular among criminal organizations due to its advanced security features, allowing users to acquire the tool without disclosing any personal information.

The platform “utilized three encryption standards and provided the capability to send a message followed by a specific code that would trigger the self-destruction of all messages on the recipient’s phone,” the agency explained.

Europol estimated that around 1,000 messages were exchanged daily on Ghost.

An operational task force was established by Europol in March 2022 to combat and monitor the network, involving law enforcement authorities from Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States.

A joint investigation team was then formed between French and U.S. authorities in Jan. 2024.

While the FBI participated in the operation, no arrests have been made in the United States yet as a result of intercepted messages on Ghost.

‘Game Is Up’

“This was a real global game of cat and mouse, and today, the game is up,” stated Europol’s Deputy Executive Director Jean-Philippe Lecouffe in remarks to reporters. “This success is not only about shutting down the platform but also about extinguishing the notion that crime can operate in the shadows.”

The Irish police force, An Garda Síochána, declared that they had seized 42 suspected Ghost-encrypted devices, 153 other electronic gadgets, and cocaine valued at 15.2 million euros ($16.9 million) in the country through the operation.

Following the crackdown on Ghost led by Europol, similar actions were taken against SkyECC and EncroChat, resulting in numerous arrests and convictions across Europe and other regions.

The UK’s National Crime Agency was not mentioned as being part of the global operation, and no arrests were reported in Britain, unlike the situation with EncroChat.

“We are sending a clear message: no matter how sophisticated the technology, no matter how well concealed the platform, we will bring it down. This is not our first takedown, and rest assured it will not be the last,” noted Lecouffe.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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