Gardai believe encrypted chats uncovered in global swoop will bring biggest crime gang to justice

Gardai are confident they will nail the leaders of ‘The Family’ crime group

Gardai believe encrypted chats uncovered in a major international operation will see leaders of Ireland’s biggest crime gang prosecuted in court.

This paper understands that gardai are confident they will nail the leaders of ‘The Family’ crime group - which officers have now revealed is this country’s largest gang - after a massive international investigation led to the dismantling of an encrypted network - and the seizure of E16M worth of drugs in Ireland.

The encrypted network, known as ‘Ghost ', was successfully torn down following a two year worldwide investigation entitled ‘Operation Kraken’ - involving the likes of Europol, Australian Federal Police, America’s FBI and our own An Garda Siochana.

READ MORE: 'The Family' take title of Ireland's biggest mob from 'fragmented' Kinahans amid €16m drugs swoop

READ MORE: Who are 'The Family'? Mob set to take over Ireland's drugs business after global Kinahan crackdown

After seizing 42 encrypted devices, gardai are understood to have already tapped into conversations that they believe will bring them right to the door of the leaders of a West Dublin based crime group often referred to as ‘The Family’ - a mob they now say has overtaken the Kinahan cartel in its influence here.

On Monday an unprecedented day of action took place that saw over 300 specialist gardai, assisted by members of the FBI, Europol and the Australian Federal Police carry out searches on 27 properties around Ireland - and seizing a total of over E16M worth of cocaine, cannabis and heroin.

Officers also seized 126 phones in the searches - 42 of which have been determined to contain the ‘Ghost’ encrypted network on them.
A search of a total of 33 properties saw E350,000 in cash, two crypto currency keys, 27 laptops, 200 SIM cards, six Rolex watches and a 2021 Range Rover Jeep seized.

Sources say gyms and properties closely connected to ‘The Family’ were raided by armed gardai - some of which was shown in dramatic video footage released by officers on Wednesday. Some of the 11 people arrested are also understood to be suspected of being directly involved in facilitating and distributing the encrypted devices to criminal gangs here.

Officers confirmed that the investigation targeted in total four criminal gangs that operate in Ireland. Some E7M of that consisted of 100kg of cocaine which was found in a sophisticated hidden compartment in an articulated lorry, and was directly linked to ‘The Family’ mob.

Addressing the media in a major press conference at Garda Headquarters in Dublin, Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland of the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stated that one of the gangs being targeted as part of this probe is the currently the “primary” target for An Garda Siochana and the biggest drugs supplier in the country.

Asked by this paper about that, the senior Garda confirmed that the once powerful Kinahan cartel is no longer the largest gang in Ireland - nor the target of this probe. “I can rest assure you the Kinahan organised crime gang is no longer the primary organised crime gang in this jurisdiction or impacting on this jurisdiction,” he revealed.

He also stated that Ireland’s criminal landscape is now “much more fragmented” and that the four gangs targeted in this probe now operate on their own - having once “been considered by us in the past as Kinahan affiliated organised crime gangs. But the primary organised crime gang that’s impacting in this jurisdiction in relation to cocaine and heroin trafficking was targeted in this investigation,” he added.

Sources have confirmed that that gang is ‘The Family’ - a West Dublin based mob led by two brothers that has significantly expanded in its influence since crippling sanctions were imposed on the Kinahan cartel in 2022. The gang is suspected to have made links in Europe and the US and was facilitating the distribution of drugs into Ireland.

However, gardai revealed on Wednesday that a significant avenue for the gang to ship drugs into this country was successfully dismantled - thanks to Operation Kraken - with a significant player, who is believed to have helped distribute the drugs via articulated trucks, being arrested.

Speaking at a major Europol press conference, Garda Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly said gardai “dismantled a primary drugs trafficking route.

Assistant Commissioner Kelly said this operation was a “multi national coalition” of nine countries, and stated that most major gangs here in Ireland are now “transnational in nature” and “purposely base themselves abroad to try to thwart the efforts of law enforcement.”

He said therefore it was vital that gardai work with countries around the world, saying “it takes a network to defeat a network.” He said this operation targeted “four Irish organised crime groups” involved in drug trafficking and who use “violence and intimidation” to enforce their influence.

The senior officer, who heads the various Garda Bureaus investigating Organised and Serious Crime, stated that gardai are prioritising “high value targets” and stated that gardai will not shy away from using the encrypted networks as evidence. “Encrypted phone communication is indeed a challenge for contemporary policing but is a challenge that we are now making significant inroads to.

“Ireland had the second largest user base of this particular encrypted platform, so the success of this operation is of particular significance to us,” he added. “During this operation we targeted four Irish organised crime groups who are involved in drugs trafficking, frequently using violence and intimidation,” he said.

“Most significantly we have dismantled a primary drugs trafficking route into our country, and in doing so have seized drugs of an approximate street value of €16 million.” Assistant Commissioner Kelly also stated “there will indeed be further arrests,” going on to say that the operation “targeted the key facilitators of this encrypted phone network, and importantly seized a number of the suspect handsets.

“This activity demonstrates our resolve to make Ireland a difficult environment for organised crime to operate,” Commissioner Kelly continued. We will continue to use every opportunity, technology and resource at our disposal to protect our communities from the harm inflicted by these criminals.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Boland also confirmed that gardai are confident they can use encrypted conversations as evidence in court - something that has not been tested in this jurisdiction before. "We have very very strong legislation in Ireland that has been enacted by this government to assist us," he said, citing legislation that allowed gardai to pursue charges like facilitation and directing a criminal organisation.

"Our intention is we're focusing on top value targets. The top targets of these organised crime groups are our primary focus," he added. The crackdown comes after Australian Federal Police caught up with a young man that they claim is the “mastermind” behind the Ghost network.

Named in Australian media, Jay Je Yoon Jung (32) was arrested at his parent's home in Narwee, Sydney. Police allege Jung owned millions in Crypto Currency and a Mercedes, which was parked outside of his parents' house - and that he was 23 when he launched the Ghost network which had gone on to be used by criminal gangs around the world.

Operation Kraken has seen a total of 51 people arrested worldwide so far - with investigators promising further arrests to come. In a statement issued on Wednesday gardai stated that the ‘Ghost’ “encrypted network gained traction among criminal organisations due to its advanced security features.”

“Users could purchase the solution without any personal information. The solution used three encryption standards and offered the option to send a message followed by a specific code that results in self-destruction of all messages on the target phone,” gardai said in the statement.

“This allowed criminal networks to communicate securely, evade detection, counter forensic measures, and coordinate their illegal operations across borders.

“Worldwide, several thousands of individuals used the tool, which has its own infrastructure and applications with a network of resellers based in several countries. On a global scale, around a thousand messages are being exchanged each day via Ghost.”

The huge operation also involved the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Garda National Economic Crime Bureau,The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), Strategic Tactical Operational Command (Emergency Response Unit and Regional Armed Supports Units), Garda Headquarters (National Surveillance Unit, National Criminal Intelligence Unit), National Support Services (Garda Dog Unit, Garda Air Support Unit) and Divisional Resources from the Dublin and Eastern Region and National Public Order Unit.

Gardai also revealed that previous operations related to this Ghost network saw 118 kilos worth of cocaine valued at E8.2M was seized. 1.5 kilos of heroin worth E100,000, 16 kilos of cannabis worth E320,000 and E50,000 in cash seized. Speaking at Europol Headquarters, The Hague, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, Organised and Serious Crime added:

"An Garda Síochána's involvement in this Europol Operational Task Force demonstrates Ireland's ongoing commitment and capacity to operate at an international level targeting Transnational Organised Crime Groups which cause so much harm and misery not just in Ireland but in countries across the world.

“Transnational Organised Crime Group networks know no boundaries and do not respect any international borders or rules of law. It takes a network to defeat a network and today's announcement is a clear indication of the power of Law Enforcement networks in degrading and dismantling the activities of these criminal networks.”

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