Australian police announced Wednesday they had successfully infiltrated Ghost, an encrypted communications app allegedly developed for criminal use, leading to dozens of arrests across multiple countries.
The app’s administrator, Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, was arrested in Sydney and appeared in court on charges of supporting a criminal organization and benefiting from the proceeds of crime. He did not enter pleas and was denied bail, with his case set to return to court in November.
Jung is accused of creating the Ghost app in 2017 for use by organized crime syndicates, including Italian mafia, motorcycle gangs, and Korean criminal groups. Australian police say the app was used for drug trafficking, money laundering, and coordinating violent activities, including murders.
Over recent days, Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested 38 suspects across four states. Additional arrests were made in Canada, Sweden, Ireland, and Italy as part of the international effort, according to AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney. Police claim to have intercepted 125,000 messages and 120 video calls, preventing 50 potential kidnappings, murders, or serious assaults.
The investigation, part of a Europol-led task force targeting Ghost since 2022, was aided by technical assistance from France’s cyber command. Australian police gained access to criminal communications by secretly modifying software updates for the app, allowing them to monitor user activity.
Jung allegedly sold specialized smartphones with Ghost access for AUD 2,350 ($1,590), offering criminals secure communication with no personal information required. The Ghost platform became popular due to its advanced encryption and self-destructing message feature.
The operation, dubbed Operation Kraken, also led to the seizure of weapons, drugs, and over €1 million in cash globally. Authorities expect further arrests as investigations continue. This operation follows a similar global law enforcement takedown of the ANOM encrypted messaging platform by the FBI in 2021, which resulted in 800 arrests worldwide.
The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, BBC, and Europol contributed to this report.
