Four potential murder hits within Melbourne’s underworld foiled by federal police

Four potential murder hits on Melbourne underworld figures, their associates and rivals have been foiled by federal police investigating the encrypted Ghost app.

Four potential murder hits on Melbourne underworld figures, associates and enemies have been foiled by federal police who reached a major milestone in their take-down of the Ghost app.

Federal authorities have now charged more than 50 alleged criminals across Australia as part of their sprawling investigation into the phone app commonly used by gangland figures.

Four death threats have so far been prevented while 15 people have been charged in Victoria since Australian Federal Police dismantled the Ghost app in September.

Criminals across the country had favoured using the encrypted app to order shipments of drugs, launder money, threaten rivals and order paid murder contracts.

Two Melbourne men were charged with drug trafficking last month after federal police nabbed the pair through the Ghost app.

Melbourne men Anastasio Giorgi, 26, and Marcus Cini, 25, were last month charged with a range of drug trafficking offences after federal police nabbed the pair through the app.

Mr Cini, of Keilor East, was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity and possessing cocaine and will return to court in March.

Mr Giorgi, of Moonee Ponds, was charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine and dealing with proceeds of crime.

$30,000 in cash was allegedly stashed in his bedroom during raids at his home in September.

The boss of a prominent agricultural company was also charged over a syndicate that had allegedly trafficked 128kg of meth, cocaine and MDMA in about six months.

Caner Dogan, the director of Global Farms International, was arrested at his Docklands apartment in September before he was hit with high-level trafficking charges.

The Melbourne men are among the 52 people charged nationwide.

The AFP say they have now intervened 50 threats to life or threats of harm and have prevented 230kg of illicit drugs from hitting the streets.

Caner Dogan, 36, is facing high-level trafficking charges.

Nearly 30 guns and weapons have been seized while $25m worth of assets have also been restrained.

AFP Commander Paula Hudson said the meticulous task of infiltrating the gangland app was paying dividends.

“Nearly 400 Ghost devices were operated in Australia and sent 162,000 messages over the lifetime of the app so this digital treasure trove of material will continue to yield important information about alleged criminal activity conducted in this country,” she said.

“I again acknowledge our intelligent and dedicated members who found a unique solution to infiltrate this app and put the AFP in the back pockets of alleged criminals who believed they were communicating secretively.

“The AFP will never give up in the fight against organised crime. We do this to keep Australians safe – that is our number one job.”