Australian police arrest dozens after infiltrating encrypted messaging app Ghost

Australia in 2022 joined a Europol-led global task force targeting Ghost, an encrypted global communications app developed for criminals

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An Australian federal police officer arrests a suspect allegedly involved in Ghost, an encrypted messaging app used by criminals worldwide to facilitate drug deals and order killings, at an unknown location. Photo: AFP/Australia federal police

Published: 4:42pm, 18 Sep 2024

Australian police said on Wednesday they have infiltrated Ghost, an encrypted global communications app developed for criminals, leading to dozens of arrests.

The app’s alleged administrator, Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, appeared in a Sydney court on Wednesday on charges including supporting a criminal organisation and benefiting from proceeds of crime.

Jung did not enter pleas or apply to be released on bail. He will remain behind bars until his case returns to court in November.

Australian police arrested 38 suspects in raids across four states in recent days while law enforcement agencies were also making arrests in Canada, Sweden, Ireland and Italy, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney said.

“We allege hundreds of criminals including Italian organised crime, motorcycle gang members, Middle Eastern organised crime and Korean organised crime have used Ghost in Australia and overseas to import illicit drugs and order killings,” McCartney told reporters.

Drugs are found in a concealed compartment in a vehicle after Australia’s police penetrated an encrypted global communications app developed for criminals called Ghost, leading to dozens of arrests. Photo: AP

Australian police had prevented 50 people from being killed, kidnapped or seriously hurt by monitoring threats among 125,000 messages and 120 video calls since March, Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Schofield said.