In Australia, law enforcement conducted a large-scale operation against criminal networks that used the encrypted messenger AN0M. As part of the third phase of Operation Ironside, 55 suspects were arrested, and the total value of the seized cryptocurrencies reached 58 million Australian dollars (approximately $37.9 million USD).
This is reported by Business • Media
Operation Ironside: A New Phase in the Fight Against Crime
The High Court of Australia granted permission to use intercepted AN0M messages as evidence in court. This decision was crucial for continuing investigations and conducting a new wave of arrests. In particular, the Australian Federal Police reported approximately 800 charges related to the illegal drug trade, weapons, and involvement in organized crime groups. Investigators used data obtained from monitoring AN0M to uncover financial crimes and money laundering schemes.
According to Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams, the court’s decision “paved the way for case closures.”
“The ruling allowed for the use of evidence from the period between 2018 and 2021, when the FBI secretly monitored the AN0M network.”
Previously, the court dismissed a complaint from two suspects regarding the legality of collecting digital evidence, which allowed for swift continuation of investigative actions.
The Role of Cryptocurrencies in Criminal Schemes
AN0M was a specially modified messenger that was installed on phones without cameras, GPS, or browsers. These devices were distributed among criminal groups as a “secure” communication channel. In reality, all messages were duplicated on servers controlled by the FBI and accessible to the Australian police. In total, around 1,600 AN0M devices were used in the country, and the number of intercepted messages approached 19.3 million.
As noted by Europol, in recent years, criminal groups have increasingly used cryptocurrencies for financial transactions, complicating the work of law enforcement. Operation Ironside has heightened public attention to this issue: according to a Swyftx survey, 60% of Australians do not trust digital assets, and one-third believe their market is associated with fraud and crime.
It was previously reported that the FBI announced a reward of $10 million for information regarding a Ukrainian hacker involved in attacks on global companies.