An international law enforcement operation has dismantled an encrypted communication platform, known as Ghost, notorious for enabling large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, leading to the arrest of 51 suspects from multiple countries including one in Canada. The platform had gained popularity among criminal organizations for its advanced security features and its dismantling marks a significant blow to global organized crime networks. Europol said on Wednesday that the operation prevented several threats to life, dismantled a drug lab in Australia, and led to the global seizure of weapons, drugs, and over one million euros ($1.
11 million) in cash and that more arrests were expected. One person was arrested in Vancouver as part of an investigation into the export of drugs from Canada to Australia. That person was questioned, and released pending trial, the RCMP told CBC News.
The RCMP also added that it "played a key role in this operation by developing an innovative technique enabling to seize the digital evidence that was essential." What is Ghost? Ghost is an encrypted communication platform that was used as a lifeline by criminal networks around the world. The platform was used as a tool to carry out a wide range of criminal activities, including large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence and other forms of serious and organized crime.
Why did it gain in popularity among crime networks? Ghost had gained traction among criminal.