Recent raids led to the arrest of 38 suspects across Australia, with additional arrests in Canada, Sweden, Ireland, and Italy.
According to Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney, the app facilitated criminal activities such as drug trafficking and organized killings. Since March, police have prevented 50 potential violent crimes by monitoring over 125,000 messages and 120 video calls.
Jung is accused of developing Ghost in 2017 for criminal purposes. The global taskforce targeting the app, led by Europol and including Australian and French authorities, successfully decrypted communications by exploiting vulnerabilities in software updates. This allowed Australian police to access data on devices used by criminals.
The app’s modified smartphones, which cost approximately $1,590 AUD, included Ghost and tech support services for six months.
