The infiltration of an encrypted communication tool used for criminal activities worldwide has led to the seizure of 16 million euro of illicit drugs and 11 arrests in Ireland.
The platform, known as Ghost, was used to facilitate criminal activity including drug trafficking, money laundering and instances of extreme violence, authorities said.
Europol, along with law enforcement agencies from nine countries, dismantled the tool, described as “a lifeline” for serious organised crime.
An Garda Siochana said it was conducting Ghost-related investigations in relation to four organised crime groups in Ireland which are involved in drug trafficking and money laundering “on a significant scale”.
The infiltration of the platform led to a series of searches carried out on Monday evening at 27 premises across Dublin and counties in the east of Ireland, involving 300 gardai.
Representatives from Europol, the Australian Federal Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation were in Ireland for the operation.
As a result of the operation, and previous Garda activity related to Ghost, cocaine valued at 15 million euro, 230,000 euro (£194,000) of cannabis, and 100,000 euro (£84,000) of heroin has been seized by gardai, along with 350,000 euro (£295,000) in cash.
Twenty-seven laptops, 42 suspected Ghost ECC encrypted devices, and 126 other mobile devices were among the other items seized.
Eleven arrests have also been made.
Speaking at a press conference at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague on Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly said that the second highest number of devices using the Ghost tool were in Ireland.
This was around 100 devices in Ireland, or 8.3% of the total live 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 it.
At a press conference in Dublin, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland said that the Kinahan crime gang was “no longer the primary organised crime gang in this jurisdiction”.
“Our organised crime landscape is much more fragmented at this stage, and while a number of the groups that are targeted, of the four groups that are targeted in this particular phase of this operation would have been considered by us in the past as an affiliated organised crime gang, they’re operating on their own.
“But the primary organised crime gang that’s impacting on this jurisdiction in relation to cocaine and heroin trafficking was targeted in this investigation.”
Mr Kelly said there was also a “significant” crypto element to the Irish investigation; crypto is a well-known method used by organised crime groups use to move proceeds.
Mr Boland said there were also several “facilitators” of the Ghost network who were based in Ireland.
“They are Irish nationals, they are persons who are known to law enforcement, and were engaging with assisting the global network in ensuring that this device was available to Irish criminals and basically looking for further customers.”
Mr Boland said there would be further action taken as a result of the infiltration of the Ghost system.
“We’re targeting the decision makers, and we’re targeting those people who enable and facilitate them.
“Yes, we have to balance it and ensure that we identify what targets do we actually want to go after. I can assure you, they are going to be very high-value targets, and if we are successful in prosecutions, that will become open knowledge to everybody.
“If you’re using one of these devices, you’re working at a very high level in organised crime. Absolutely, you are a target of our investigations.
“Absolutely, we are determined that we are going to pursue you, and will use every effort to gather enough evidence where eventually we are coming knocking on your door, we are going to arrest you, and hopefully we will prosecute you and bring you to justice before the courts.”
Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle said on Wednesday: “Today we have made it clear that no matter how hidden criminal networks think they are, they can’t evade our collective effort.”
Europol deputy executive director Jean-Philippe Lecouffe added: “This was truly a global game of cat and mouse, and today, the game is up.”
