Following days of raids targeting the alleged crime syndicate and creator of an encrypted communication app designed for the criminal underworld, dozens of people have been taken into custody.
They were charged with illicit drug trafficking, conspiracy, destruction of records and assisting a criminal organisation, and firearms.
While most of the arrests took place in New South Wales, alleged criminals in Victoria, South Australia, and the ACT also got caught in the net.
This operation involved 700 Australian Federal Police (AFP) members and an international task force set to target offshore links.
Italian, Korean, and Middle Eastern organised groups are said to have used the app for global encrypted communications.
AFP officers seized 205 kilograms of illicit drugs, 25 weapons, and $1.2 million (US$812,000) in cash during the raids.
After more than 70 searches around the country this week, 38 people were arrested.
At the top of the list is Jay Je Yoon Jung, a 32-year-old Sydney man charged for allegedly creating and operating the “Ghost” platform.
The Narwee man is the first Australian-based person accused of creating an app of this kind. He allegedly created and launched the platform nine years ago when he was 23.
He was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the southern Sydney home where he lives with his parents.
He will face court this Wednesday.
AFP offices around the country will analyse the evidence collected from the raids, known as the “forensic tail,” which could take months to complete depending on the volume and complexity of the items at hand.
The AFP and FBI used similar platforms before to collect evidence on murder plots, drug trafficking and the purchase of weapons on the network because criminals thought it was secure.
It was exposed as being part of a law enforcement operation in 2021.
