Cops storm ‘computer geek’ in huge raid

The alleged mastermind of an encrypted messaging platform used for years by bikies, mafia figures and Korean and Middle-Eastern organised crime has been arrested.

The Australian Federal Police stormed the home of 32-year-old Jay Je Yoon Jung in Sydney, where he lived with his parents, as part of a sweeping two-day raid across NSW, Victoria, WA, South Australia and the ACT.

The police have charged the “computer geek” for creating and administering Ghost, a dedicated encrypted communication platform that the AFP alleges was built solely for the criminal underworld.

About 700 AFP members executed search warrants in the large-scale raid and took in up to 50 alleged offenders, who stand accused of using Ghost to traffic illicit drugs, engage in money laundering, order killings and threaten serious violence.

AFP Deputy Commissioner Crime Ian McCartney and Assistant Commissioner Kirsty Schofield, speaking on Wednesday, said the police had prevented the death or serious injury of 50 individuals in Australia by cracking the platform.

“Ghost is now just another criminal encrypted platform that has been disrupted by law enforcement,” Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.

The police allege Mr Yoon Jung charged criminals $2350 for a six-month subscription to the platform.

Underworld figures would purchase a phone and SIM card and then access the platform to send encrypted text, photos, videos and voice messages to other platform users.

The platform has been running since 2015 and Deputy Commissioner Crime Ian McCartney said the police had cracked it by “infecting” the devices to decrypt the messages.

“We infected the devices, enabling us to access the content,” he said.

In one instance, Assistant Commissioner Schofield said the police had rescued a person from imminent violence.

“There was on one occasion … we could see over the platform an image of a person who had a firearm to their head,” she said.

“We had an hour to respond to that threat and pass the information to our state and territory partners.”

The police have charged the “computer geek” with five charges, including supporting a criminal organisation, dealing with the suspected proceeds of an indictable offence.

“It will be alleged the administrator used a network of resellers to offer specialised handsets to criminals across the globe,” the police said.

“The handsets, which were a modified smart phone, were sold for about $2350, which included a six-month subscription to an encrypted network and tech support.

“As of September 17, the AFP will allege there were 376 active handsets in Australia.

“Ghost was created about nine years ago, however, the opportunity for law enforcement to target the platform arose in 2022.

“In 2022, international partners started targeting Ghost and asked the AFP to join an operational taskforce.”

The AFP has credited the FBI, the French Gendarmerie, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Swedish Police Authority, the Dutch National Police, the Irish Garda Síochána, the Italian Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Service and The Icelandic Police for their assistance in cracking Ghost.

The AFP stormed the 32-year-old’s Narwee home with tactical officers in the early morning.

Assistant Commissioner Schofield said the raid was necessary to prevent Mr Yoon Jung from wiping any devices.

The police said he was “slightly surprised” to see them at his door.

He will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday.

Police raids are also occurring across Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Canada.