Current HUGE AFP Sting - 200 organised crime arrests

[Kurve]

FBI’s Encrypted Phone Platform Infiltrated Hundreds of Criminal Syndicates; Result is Massive Worldwide Takedown

www.justice.gov

unsealed_trojan_shield_search_warrant_21mj1948.pdf

unsealed_trojan_shield_indictment_21cr1623-jls.pdf

Current - Ex Rebels President Assassinated by Sniper Shot at the Motorplex Perth - WA

Of interest: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/huge-afp-sting-200-organised-crime-arrests.1271733/

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Kurve]

Underworld figures were tricked into communicating via an encrypted app that had been designed by police.

The app was unwittingly distributed by 'running scared' Australian drug trafficker Hakan Ayik, after he was given the device by undercover agents. Ayik, 42, recommended the app to criminal associates who would purchase the device pre-loaded with AN0M on the black market.

More than 200 members of Australia's mafia and bikie underworld have been charged in the nation's largest-ever crime sting, police say. Authorities said about 4,000 police raided properties this week, with the investigation growing so large the AFP paused its operations over the past few weeks, except for child protection and counter-terrorism.

The app, known as AN0M, was used by organised crime gangs around the world to plan executions, mass drug importations and money laundering. Half the criminal acltivity detected on the app was in New South Wales.

Authorities say they were able to read up to 25 million messages in real-time.

Police said they uncovered 21 murder plots and seized more than 3,000 kilograms of drugs and $45 million in cash and assets.

The AFP said the operation prevented a suburban mass shooting in Australia, where plans had been made to use a machine gun at a cafe.

Another family of five were also targeted by criminals.

Last night, more than 300 search warrants were carried out across Australia, with simultaneous stings in the US and Europe.

Operation Ironside stats

• 4,500 Australian officers involved
• 500 search warrants executed
• 224 people charged with more than 525 offences
• 104 firearms seized
• $45 million in assets and cash seized
• 3.7 tonnes of drugs taken from syndicates
• 33 countries involved

'Heavy blow' for criminals as more than 200 underworld figures charged after app sting

More than 200 members of Australia's mafia and bikie underworld have been arrested in the nation's biggest-ever crime sting, police say.

www.abc.net.au

 

[burge13]

Saw this earlier, interesting!

Will make for an interesting TV series no doubt

 

[Kwality]

Interesting to see Aus built the app.
We couldnt get the Covid tracking to function properly & I'd lost a bit of faith in the industry locally.

The prosecutions will be interesting.

 

[Power Raid]

Underworld figures were tricked into communicating via an encrypted app that had been designed by police.

The app was unwittingly distributed by 'running scared' Australian drug trafficker Hakan Ayik, after he was given the device by undercover agents. Ayik, 42, recommended the app to criminal associates who would purchase the device pre-loaded with AN0M on the black market.

More than 200 members of Australia's mafia and bikie underworld have been charged in the nation's largest-ever crime sting, police say. Authorities said about 4,000 police raided properties this week, with the investigation growing so large the AFP paused its operations over the past few weeks, except for child protection and counter-terrorism.

The app, known as AN0M, was used by organised crime gangs around the world to plan executions, mass drug importations and money laundering. Half the criminal acltivity detected on the app was in New South Wales.

Authorities say they were able to read up to 25 million messages in real-time.

Police said they uncovered 21 murder plots and seized more than 3,000 kilograms of drugs and $45 million in cash and assets.

The AFP said the operation prevented a suburban mass shooting in Australia, where plans had been made to use a machine gun at a cafe.

Another family of five were also targeted by criminals.

Last night, more than 300 search warrants were carried out across Australia, with simultaneous stings in the US and Europe.

Operation Ironside stats

• 4,500 Australian officers involved
• 500 search warrants executed
• 224 people charged with more than 525 offences
• 104 firearms seized
• $45 million in assets and cash seized
• 3.7 tonnes of drugs taken from syndicates
• 33 countries involved

'Heavy blow' for criminals as more than 200 underworld figures charged after app sting

More than 200 members of Australia's mafia and bikie underworld have been arrested in the nation's biggest-ever crime sting, police say.

www.abc.net.au

Underbelly just got funding for another season

 

[Kurve]

This might have taken in Qantas employees. Nine reported up to 150 of them may have been implicated. Uh_oh.

The Nine newspapers said the classified intelligence operation found up to 150 Qantas staff had been linked to criminality. It said agencies believe they included motorcycle gangs that were involved in drug importation and other activities.

Qantas 'disturbed' by claims of gang infiltration

The airline responds to reports some staff may have been involved in organised crime.

www.bbc.com

 

[BFew]

Home surrounded during hunt for wanted man

WA Police and the Tactical Response Group have surrounded a home during an hour-long siege in the Rockingham suburb of Golden Bay, on the hunt for a wanted man.

www.perthnow.com.au

Maybe this WA TRG activity was related to this event too?

 

[Kurve]

Interesting to see Aus built the app.
We couldnt get the Covid tracking to function properly & I'd lost a bit of faith in the industry locally.

The prosecutions will be interesting.

Agree, the prosecutions will be real interesting. We'll find out if messages and exchanges within the app can be used as evidence against or if it was what followed from the intel gathered there they will be limited to?

They used the FBIs technology but I'm not right across it yet.

"Some of the best ideas come over a couple of beers," AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw remarked at a media briefing on Tuesday, referring to the circumstances around the set-up of the sophisticated sting.

How an app that crippled criminal underworld was cooked up over a 'couple of beers'

The idea to put a digital Trojan horse in the pocket of Australia's alleged most dangerous criminals began three years ago "over a couple of beers". It ended with more than 200 underworld figures behind bars.

www.abc.net.au

 

[rdhopkins2]

Remarkable work if this can lead to successful prosecutions.

 

[Power Raid]

This might have taken in Qantas employees. Nine reported up to 150 of them may have been implicated. Uh_oh.

The Nine newspapers said the classified intelligence operation found up to 150 Qantas staff had been linked to criminality. It said agencies believe they included motorcycle gangs that were involved in drug importation and other activities.

Qantas 'disturbed' by claims of gang infiltration

The airline responds to reports some staff may have been involved in organised crime.

www.bbc.com

back in the 80s and 90s the biggest importers of military grade weapons in Australia is the Royal Australian Navy. Bikies would join the navy and either steal from the armory or bring into the country stashing weapons in the armory or comms.

So it doesn't surprise me, criminals join Qantas and then recruit to do their dirty deeds.

 

[BFew]

it doesn't surprise me, criminals join Qantas and then recruit to do their dirty deeds.

I wonder how many of those caught in the sting, work or have worked for the likes of Telstra, Optus, NBN Co, or any other of the operating in Australia telecommunications related companies involved with either telecommunications services, hardware or infrastructure?

 

[BFew]

Rescue of former WA bikie in undies part of crime sting

It has been revealed the dramatic rescue of a former WA bikie associate — dressed only in his underwear — was linked to the national underworld police sting that saw more than 100 people charged.

thewest.com.au

'...The heavily-tattoed Dillan Mancuso, 37, was last week pictured sitting in white undies on the back of a van after being rescued by police from a warehouse in Revesby in NSW.
It is alleged that Mr Mancuso, who is reported to have had links to the Lone Wolf bikie gang, was the target of a kidnap plot.
Police say he was bashed by his alleged kidnappers before photos of his injuries were sent to family and friends.
Some of the pictures were sent via AN0M — the encrypted app used by crime syndicates that was cracked by Australian Federal Police and led to the massive bust.
Robbery and Serious Crime Squad Det. Supt Andrew Koutsoufis said the violence towards the victim was severe, leaving injuries to his face and ribs.
Four men allegedly involved in the kidnapping also received minor injuries when police swarmed the Marigold Street warehouse complex.
Mr Mancuso is facing serious charges in WA, including two counts of dealing with property suspected to be proceeds of crime...'

Ex-bikie’s awkward wait after kidnapping

Ten people have been charged over their alleged involvement in the late night kidnapping of a former bikie.

www.news.com.au

 

[BFew]

Blog post placed Australia's biggest organised crime sting in jeopardy

A secret Australian police operation using a fake app to spy on the texts of senior mafia and bikie figures was put at risk when a tech geek correctly accused it of being a scam months ago.

www.dailymail.co.uk

'In late March, an anonymous blogger known only as 'canyouguess67' posted an article warning users to keep off ANOM for their 'own safety'.'

cache:PwQXt6Sn_YwJ:https://anomexposed.wordpress.com/+ - Google Search

''STAY AWAY FROM ANOM IF YOU VALUE YOUR PRIVACY & SAFEY, THEY ARE COMPROMISED, LIARS AND YOUR DATA IS RUNNING VIA USA – Passed onto LAW ENFORCEMENT and other Entities''

 

[Cookie]

A couple of things come to mind re this.

How many bent coppers and government employees/officials will be caught up in the arrests?

That Corby sheila always claimed baggage handlers were the culprits in her case. I'd expect her to arc up about the recent QANTAS claims and this FBI/AFP sting.

 

[jason_recliner]

Top work by the 5-0.

 

[JWS2019]

Blog post placed Australia's biggest organised crime sting in jeopardy

A secret Australian police operation using a fake app to spy on the texts of senior mafia and bikie figures was put at risk when a tech geek correctly accused it of being a scam months ago.

www.dailymail.co.uk

'In late March, an anonymous blogger known only as 'canyouguess67' posted an article warning users to keep off ANOM for their 'own safety'.'

cache:PwQXt6Sn_YwJ:https://anomexposed.wordpress.com/+ - Google Search

''STAY AWAY FROM ANOM IF YOU VALUE YOUR PRIVACY & SAFEY, THEY ARE COMPROMISED, LIARS AND YOUR DATA IS RUNNING VIA USA – Passed onto LAW ENFORCEMENT and other Entities''

I must say, how stupid to believe any app, internet site or related was protected... are we getting stupider?

 

[Chameleon75]

The reporting on this has been contradictory, often in the same article, one minute an afp tech guru cracked the encryption, the next its an app developed by the fbi, so why would it need to be cracked? So I did a google search to find clarity and found now unsealed court documents that spells out how this came about.

DocumentCloud

www.documentcloud.org

It appears neither account is correct. Apparently in 2018 the fbi closed down another encrypted phone called phantom secure, in the ensuing arrests they flipped a distributor with criminal contacts in Australia. This distributor had developed his own encrypted phone which was an0m, as part of his deal he offered this to the fbi as a means to catching criminals, which the fbi jumped at. As his contacts were in Australia, naturally the afp was brought in, and together with the fbi and the cooperating witness, they developed a back door on the platform for real time surveillance. The whole we thought of it over a few beers appears to be mayo.

Given the CW’s contacts are Australian, it wouldn’t surprise if he’s actually Australian which would make sense as to why it was beta tested here, after all phantom secure was Canadian and the fbi will operate across borders if need be.

There’s been a few comments about how could they be so dumb, but it appears that this device was developed by criminals for the exclusive use by criminals and distributed by criminals. I can understand now why they put a bit of trust in it, it wasn’t a proprietary product and was supposed to be secret, the fbi got lucky on that front.

The contacts the CW had were according to the document, 2 in Australia and 1 in a third country. The papers have all ready named an Australian in turkey as distributing the phone so that takes are of the third country aspect. As to who the contacts in Australia are, well most of the arrests in Sydney were Comanchero‘s so I’m guessing one of them is a contact. About 70 were arrested in Adelaide and the papers made reference to the mafia man being a distributor, so I’m guessing he’s based in Adelaide.

It will be interesting as this all hits the courts.

 

[jason_recliner]

I must say, how stupid to believe any app, internet site or related was protected... are we getting stupider?

Yes, well, there are reasons these guys are drug dealers and not doctors or lawyers.

 

[Gigantic]

Did they use their powers under the Telecommunications Assistance and Access Act?

 

[Gigantic]

Interesting to see Aus built the app.
We couldnt get the Covid tracking to function properly & I'd lost a bit of faith in the industry locally.

The prosecutions will be interesting.

Other sources are saying FBI designed and built the app?

It's saying AFP provided the "technical capability" to decrypt messages - are they referring to the TOLA legislation?

 

[Gigantic]

I must say, how stupid to believe any app, internet site or related was protected... are we getting stupider?

Not only that. It looks like they got access to An0m by purchasing a device with it pre-loaded, and that money probably went right into the FBI's pockets.

Trojan horse, honey pot... they fell for all the old tricks in the book.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Interesting to see Aus built the app.
We couldnt get the Covid tracking to function properly & I'd lost a bit of faith in the industry locally.

Guessing the government probably had nothing to do with it.

Morrison held a press conference about it of course, which alone probably guarantees it’ll unfortunately lead to nothing. I’m sure he heard about it an hour prior and thus took credit.

 

[Kurve]

Did they use their powers under the Telecommunications Assistance and Access Act?

If the tech and phones originated with the FBI and all the data was going to the US, then back again to Australian LE unencrypted, would our cops need to use those powers under the Act?

 

[Run n Spread]

Mysterious all this. This Hakan Ayik guy fled Australia in 2010 and was last seen in Turkey and remians at large with an Interpol warrant on him.
So who gave him the device in the first place? How was he tracked down initially and why wasn't he arrested with the rest of them?

Tells me the police have deliberately cut him loose in the hope he gives evidence and goes into protection or something.

 

[juggers]

Check out this WordPress site ANOM exposed (cached since its been removed now)

https://webcache.googleusercontent....osed.wordpress.com/+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au

Someone exposed it in March, must have prompted the authorities to take action

 

[BuddysBiggestFan]

Good for them. They should be proud of finally arresting someone.

Wont change the drug trade or drug culture one iota though.