Christopher Pyne: If this was a Hollywood crime thriller, it would be hard to believe it possible
The minds behind Operation Ironside convinced alleged criminals to pay for the privilege of incriminating themselves. Bravo, writes Christopher Pyne.
Opinion
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Despite the fact that most of us are perfectly law-abiding citizens, can you imagine how shocked you would be to discover that every single text, photograph or video you had sent over a supposedly encrypted messaging application since 2018 had been seen and recorded by the Australian Federal Police?
Even the purest of the pure has probably sent a text to a friend complaining in colourful terms about their partner, in-laws or fellow workers, which they meant for one recipient or a group of recipients, but not for an unknown third party.
Now imagine that you’re a member of a Triad gang, an outlaw bikie outfit, an ice trafficker, a member of the Mafia or the ’Ndrangheta, part of an underworld plot to commit murder or a criminal on the run from Interpol for drug offences.
How would you feel when you found out that you had been using an app, sold to you by your criminal associates, that had been created and operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Australian Federal Police? Because that is exactly what has just happened.
Last Monday, Operation Trojan Shield and Operation Ironside were revealed after a massive police sting, which so far, globally, has resulted in the arrest of 800 alleged offenders, the seizure of eight tonnes of cocaine, 22 tonnes of cannabis, two tonnes of synthetic drugs, 250 guns, 55 luxury vehicles and $48m in cash and cryptocurrencies. It is an incredible haul.
In Australia, the AFP disrupted 21 murder plots including one mass killing.
The operation was conducted across 17 nations and involved 9000 law enforcement officers.
Law enforcement intercepted 27 million messages across 12000 devices in 100 countries, involving 300 organised crime groups. In the test phase of the technology, 100 per cent of ANOM users used the app to engage in criminal activity.
In an even more delicious irony, the criminals paid a subscription for the right to use ANOM.
They literally paid for the privilege of incriminating themselves.
In the US, that was $1700 for a six-month subscription.
In Australia, it was the AFP’s all-consuming passion for three years.
The officers of the FBI, AFP, Interpol and their counterparts across the globe must have been beside themselves with excitement that they had duped so many enemies of the state at one fell swoop.
They say that truth is stranger than fiction. If this was a Hollywood crime thriller, it would be hard to believe it possible.
I’m sure I echo the thoughts of most people that the creators and pushers of illicit drugs are among the lowest of the low.
Nothing frightens me more than the prospect of one of my family or friends succumbing to the spiral of despair found in drug addiction.
The prospect of 800 and more alleged offenders being interdicted in the midst of plying their trade of death and destruction is a cause for celebration.
There will be more arrests in the coming days, weeks and months.
We don’t yet know about how much more intelligence has been gathered by law-enforcement agencies. There will extraditions of alleged offenders between jurisdictions and further evidence gathered from those in custody that will lead to more arrests.
For police and others, the information recorded, informants tapped and alleged offenders in custody represent an Aladdin’s cave of possibilities.
Australians can be proud of the capabilities of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the federal government.
I am less familiar with our capabilities at the state and territory level, but have no doubt they are comparable.
The Signals Directorate, the Secret Intelligence Organisation, the Secret Intelligence Service and the federal police are second to none in the world.
In recent years, the Australian government has invested billions expanding its cybersecurity operations so that we have both offensive and defensive cyber capability.
These investments make us a formidable partner for other agencies in like-minded countries to battle criminal elements.
Operation Ironside here in Australia and Operation Trojan Shield, elsewhere in the world, are absolute manifestations of that expertise.
We should be very proud of what has been able to be achieved.
Importantly, there are 32 tonnes of drugs that will never hit our streets to harm our loved ones and 800 alleged offenders who will face the full force of the law.
No doubt it will serve as a disincentive to others who might want to pursue a life of crime, and in that way act as a deterrent.
You would think so, as what criminal would now use their mobile devices to communicate with each other?
Perhaps a very brave or very stupid one?
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