This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/525953-australia-fbi-sting-operation/
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| ‘Sting of the century’: FBI & Australian police trick criminal gangs into using surveilled chat app, make hundreds of arrests | ‘Sting of the century’: FBI & Australian police trick criminal gangs into using surveilled chat app, make hundreds of arrests |
| (3 months later) | |
| The FBI and Australian police have been secretly reading a secure chat app popular with organized crime for several years. The operation, dubbed ‘the sting of the century’ in the media, resulted in hundreds of arrests. | The FBI and Australian police have been secretly reading a secure chat app popular with organized crime for several years. The operation, dubbed ‘the sting of the century’ in the media, resulted in hundreds of arrests. |
| Criminals have been using the supposedly highly secure encrypted chat app ANOM, which was installed on mobile phones bought on the black market, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a statement on Tuesday. The devices were stripped of all other functions and could only send messages via ANOM, which was becoming increasingly popular in criminal circles. | Criminals have been using the supposedly highly secure encrypted chat app ANOM, which was installed on mobile phones bought on the black market, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a statement on Tuesday. The devices were stripped of all other functions and could only send messages via ANOM, which was becoming increasingly popular in criminal circles. |
| What the users did not know was that the app was covertly run by the FBI, and Australian police helped to decrypt the messages. | What the users did not know was that the app was covertly run by the FBI, and Australian police helped to decrypt the messages. |
| “These criminal influencers put the AFP in the back pocket of hundreds of alleged offenders,” AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. | “These criminal influencers put the AFP in the back pocket of hundreds of alleged offenders,” AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. |
| The sting – called Operation Ironside and which ran for three years – has led to 224 arrests by the AFP. The suspects were linked to Australian-based Italian mafia, Asian and Albanian crime syndicates, as well as motorcycle gangs. | The sting – called Operation Ironside and which ran for three years – has led to 224 arrests by the AFP. The suspects were linked to Australian-based Italian mafia, Asian and Albanian crime syndicates, as well as motorcycle gangs. |
| Kershaw said officers thwarted 21 murder plots, including of a family of five, shut down six drug labs, seized 104 pieces of firearms and other weapons, and nearly $45 million in cash. Roughly 3.7 tons of drugs were confiscated as well. | Kershaw said officers thwarted 21 murder plots, including of a family of five, shut down six drug labs, seized 104 pieces of firearms and other weapons, and nearly $45 million in cash. Roughly 3.7 tons of drugs were confiscated as well. |
| In Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state alone, officers detained 35 people, seized 27 guns, including a 50-caliber sniper rifle, and “significant quantities” of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis, and MDMA. | In Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state alone, officers detained 35 people, seized 27 guns, including a 50-caliber sniper rifle, and “significant quantities” of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis, and MDMA. |
| They also confiscated a number of luxury sports cars, including a Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Bentley, Australia media reported, NSW police said. | They also confiscated a number of luxury sports cars, including a Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Bentley, Australia media reported, NSW police said. |
| Kershaw said the operation inflicted “maximum damage” on organized crime. | Kershaw said the operation inflicted “maximum damage” on organized crime. |
| Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the operation a “watershed moment” in the country’s law enforcement history, adding that the success of Ironside will “echo around organized crime around the world.” | Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the operation a “watershed moment” in the country’s law enforcement history, adding that the success of Ironside will “echo around organized crime around the world.” |
| Anthony Russo, FBI legal attaché at the US Embassy in Australia, thanked his Australian colleagues, saying, “Over the years, we have learned that working together is not just the best option – it is the only option.” | Anthony Russo, FBI legal attaché at the US Embassy in Australia, thanked his Australian colleagues, saying, “Over the years, we have learned that working together is not just the best option – it is the only option.” |
| Separately, New Zealand Police arrested 35 people and seized $3.7 million worth of assets, including drugs, firearms, and vehicles. | Separately, New Zealand Police arrested 35 people and seized $3.7 million worth of assets, including drugs, firearms, and vehicles. |
| Unsealed US court records obtained by tech news site Motherboard show that the FBI worked on “exploiting ANOM by inserting it into criminal networks.” | Unsealed US court records obtained by tech news site Motherboard show that the FBI worked on “exploiting ANOM by inserting it into criminal networks.” |
| In what was dubbed ‘Operation Trojan Shield’ by the bureau, agents secretly released the app into the market. It was designed to attach a secret master key to every message sent thought the app, which allowed agents to “decrypt and store the message as it is transmitted,” the documents say. | In what was dubbed ‘Operation Trojan Shield’ by the bureau, agents secretly released the app into the market. It was designed to attach a secret master key to every message sent thought the app, which allowed agents to “decrypt and store the message as it is transmitted,” the documents say. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |
| Dear readers and commenters, | |
| We have implemented a new engine for our comment section. We hope the transition goes smoothly for all of you. Unfortunately, the comments made before the change have been lost due to a technical problem. We are working on restoring them, and hoping to see you fill up the comment section with new ones. You should still be able to log in to comment using your social-media profiles, but if you signed up under an RT profile before, you are invited to create a new profile with the new commenting system. | |
| Sorry for the inconvenience, and looking forward to your future comments, | |
| RT Team. |