Suspect linked to messaging app ‘used by criminals’

Australian police on Wednesday charged a man with creating and operating a messaging app used by global organised crime networks, the first time such a move has occurred in the country.

The 32-year-old man was arrested by federal police in Sydney’s west on Tuesday.

He appeared in court on Wednesday on suspicion of five offences relating to running the messaging platform Ghost, which police say was used by various gangs and organised crime syndicates in the Middle East, Australia and South Korea to import drugs and commit murders.

“Disabling specially encrypted communications devices requires significant skill,” said Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney.

“But the holy grail is always to get access to evidence through criminal platforms.”

It is the first time an Australian resident has been charged with setting up and running a global criminal platform, police said.

This month, police raided four Australian states and territories over two days, with similar searches also taking place in Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Canada.

Police say 50 alleged criminals using Ghost are also facing charges in Australia. The charges carry significant prison sentences. More arrests are expected in Australia and overseas in the coming days.

Police say it was possible to prevent the deaths or serious injuries of 50 people in Australia by cracking Ghost’s encryption. (Reuters)