€16m worth of drugs seized in Ireland after global criminal platform infiltrated – The Irish News

The infiltration of an encrypted communications tool used for criminal activities worldwide has led to the seizure of €16 million worth of illegal drugs and 11 arrests in Ireland.

Authorities said the platform, known as Ghost, was used to facilitate criminal activities including drug trafficking, money laundering and extreme violence.

Europol, together with law enforcement authorities from nine countries, dismantled the instrument, which was described as a “lifeline” for serious organised crime.

An Garda Siochana said it is conducting Ghost-related investigations into four organised crime groups in Ireland involved in drug trafficking and money laundering “on a significant scale”.

The infiltration of the platform led to a series of searches at 27 locations in Dublin and the eastern counties of Ireland on Monday evening, involving 300 police officers.

Representatives from Europol, the Australian Federal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were present in Ireland for the operation.

As a result of the operation and previous Garda activities relating to Ghost, officers seized €15 million worth of cocaine, €230,000 (£194,000) of cannabis and €100,000 (£84,000) of heroin, along with €350,000 (£295,000) in cash.

In addition, 27 laptops, 42 devices suspected of being encrypted with Ghost ECC and 126 other mobile devices were seized.

Eleven arrests have also been made.

Deputy Commissioner Justin Kelly said at a press conference at Europol headquarters in The Hague on Wednesday that the second highest number of devices using the Ghost tool is in Ireland.

In Ireland, this involved approximately 100 devices, or 8.3% of the total number of active devices using the Ghost tool.

While he would not confirm whether the Kinahan crime organisation was among the gangs using the Ghost tool, he said there were “extremely high-value targets” using the tool.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, Detective Chief Inspector Seamus Boland said the Kinahan criminal gang was “no longer the leading organised criminal gang in this jurisdiction”.

“Our organised crime landscape is much more fragmented at the moment. While a number of the groups that are being targeted, of the four groups that are being targeted in this particular phase of the operation, would have been considered by us in the past as an affiliated organised crime gang, they are now operating in isolation.

“However, the main organised criminal gang with influence in this jurisdiction in relation to the cocaine and heroin trade was targeted in this investigation.”

Mr Kelly said there was also a “significant” crypto element to the Irish investigation; crypto is a known method used by organised crime groups to move proceeds.

Mr Boland said there were also several ‘facilitators’ of the Ghost network based in Ireland.

“They are Irish nationals, individuals known to law enforcement, who assisted the global network in ensuring that this device was available to Irish criminals. They were essentially looking for more customers.”

Mr Boland said further action would be taken as a result of the infiltration of the Ghost system.

“We focus on the decision makers and the people who enable and facilitate them.

“Yes, we need to balance it and make sure that we identify which targets we actually want to address. I can assure you that they will be very worthy targets, and if we are successful in prosecutions, that will be public knowledge for all to see.

“If you are using one of these devices, you are operating at a very high level in organised crime. Absolutely, you are a target of our investigations.

“Absolutely, we are determined to prosecute you and we will do everything we can to gather enough evidence so that ultimately we will come to you, arrest you and hopefully prosecute you and bring you to justice.”

Catherine De Bolle, Director of Europol, said on Wednesday: “Today we have made it clear that criminal networks, however hidden they may feel, cannot escape our joint effort.”

Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Deputy Director of Europol, added: “This was truly a global game of cat and mouse, and today the game is over.”