Fake terror plot, drug trafficking busted on encrypted crim site Ghost: AFP

Five men will appear in courts across Sydney on Wednesday accused of faking a terror plot to leverage government officials to drop charges against members of their criminal syndicate.

A criminal syndicate planned to provide intelligence on a terrorist plot to the NSW Government to have charges against their counterparts dropped or their sentences reduced - the catch was the plot was fake, they fabricated themselves, police will allege.

Six men have been arrested over the elaborate scheme allegedly uncovered because of their conversations on the encrypted platform Ghost.

The AFP will allege the criminal syndicate, who sued the platform for drug manufacture and importation, hatched the plan between March and April this year.

The group allegedly conspired to fabricate the terrorist plot involving high-powered weapons and explosive devices.

It will be alleged messages captured on the encrypted device detailed conversations about

accessing machine guns, bombs, hand grenades, rocket launchers and flags with terrorist insignia as part of the conspiracy.

AFP-led Operation Kraken allegedly uncovered the plot and the drug activity.

Six men have been arrested and charged with a combined 43 offences following a joint investigation with NSW Police.

More than 700 AFP officers are involved in raids across the country this week after they infiltrated an encrypted communications platform allegedly being used by criminals. Picture: AFP

The AFP will allege a North Rocks man, 31, was a senior member of the criminal syndicate.

During the same period, it is alleged the man attempted to import 42kg of cocaine, concealed in two refrigerated shipping containers, into Sydney.

As a result of the AFP intelligence, ABF officers examined the shipping containers on April 3, and found 42 packages of cocaine, each weighing about 1kg.

The AFP will allege the North Rocks man was involved in the importation of border controlled drugs, with members of the syndicate involved in the trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine, cannabis and MDMA.

It is alleged the criminal syndicate used ‘runners’ to transport illicit drugs from Sydney to Inverell, and transport cash from the sale of the illicit drugs from Inverell to Sydney.

AFP and NSW Police officers executed multiple simultaneous search warrants in the suburbs of North Rocks, Regents Park, Hassall Grove, Kellyville, Kellyville Ridge, Quakers Hill and Inverell on September 5.

Six encrypted devices, 50g of cocaine and $19,785 in cash were located and seized.

The 31-year-old North Rocks man was charged with two counts of conspiring to pervert the course of justice, one count of attempting to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, two counts of trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to traffic commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, two counts of trafficking a border-controlled drug.

He was also charged with one count of dealing with the criminal proceeds of crime, greater than or equal to $100,000, and one count of directing a criminal organisation and one count of possession of a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to

commit serious criminal activity.

The man appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday and was refused bail. He is expected to return to the same court later this month.

A 27-year-old Regents Park man was charged with a series of offences including two counts of trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and possessing a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to commit serious criminal activity.

The man will appear in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

Police have seized drugs and wepons in raids across Sydney thansk to intelligence gained on the Ghost platform. Picture: AFP

A Hassall Grove man, 26, was charged with one count of trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, and two counts of trafficking a marketable quantity of a controlled drug.

He was also charged with one count of deal with the criminal proceeds of crime, greater than or equal to $100,000, one count of possession of a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to commit serious criminal activity and other charges.

A Kellyville man, 25 was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, one count of conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, dealing with criminal proceeds of crime and possessing a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to commit serious criminal activity.

He will appear in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

A Sydney-based criminal syndicate allegedly responsible for cocaine and cannabis trafficking has, been dismantled with five men arrested and charged as a part of an AFP-led operation. Picture: AFP

A 23-year-old Quakers Hill man was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and other charges including possession of a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device to commit serious criminal activity, and committing an offence for the benefit of, or at the direction of, a criminal organisation,

He is due to appear at Blacktown Local Court on Wednesday.

A Kellyville Ridge man, 26, was charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and other charges including dealing in proceeds of crime.

The man will appear at Blacktown Local Court on Wednesday.

Originally published as Fake terror plot, drug trafficking busted on encrypted crim site Ghost: AFP