A major criminal investigation has been launched by Gardaí into Irish criminals using an encrypted communication platform that has been infiltrated by international law enforcement agencies. As part of the investigation, searches have been conducted, encrypted devices recovered, and millions of Euro worth of drugs seized in an operation targeting high-risk criminal organizations.
The operation, known as ‘Operation Kraken’, involved the FBI, Australian Federal Police, Canadian Mounted Police, French National Gendarmerie, and gardaí. Other authorities from Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden were also involved.
The encrypted communication system, ‘Ghost’, was set up by a 32-year-old Sydney man nine years ago and used for large-scale drug trafficking, homicides, and money laundering. More than 600 active Ghost phones were found worldwide, including in countries like Australia, Italy, Sweden, Canada, and Ireland.
Gardaí seized encrypted devices, including from the west Dublin Organised Crime Group, ‘The Family’, disrupting their transportation network. This international police operation marked a significant action against criminal activities and aims to prosecute those involved in drugs and organized crime.
In a similar operation in 2020, the ‘Encrochat’ encrypted tool used by organized crime groups was dismantled, leading to numerous arrests and seizures of criminal assets globally.