51 Arrested Globally as Police Dismantle Encrypted Network, Ghost

Europol said the encrypted communication platform was used for ‘large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, instances of extreme violence.’

Some of the phones seized in the operation, at Europol's headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, on Sept. 18, 2024. Courtesy of Europol

A global police operation has dismantled an encrypted communication platform called Ghost, which was allegedly used by criminals, leading to 51 arrests worldwide.

The Europol-led operation involved a series of “coordinated raids and technical interventions” and took down Ghost servers in France and Iceland, according to Europol’s Sept. 18 statement.