NSW Corrections Officer Arrested for Allegedly Smuggling Encrypted Phone into Prison
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a 25-year-old man from Sydney, who worked as a correctional officer, for allegedly smuggling an encrypted mobile device into an Australian correctional facility. The officer is accused of accepting a bribe of up to $2,000 to deliver a device linked to the Ghost criminal messaging network. His identification followed the arrest of several men in Sydney in September 2024 as part of Operation Kraken-Kamino, a sub-operation of the broader Operation Kraken campaign. The AFP claims these individuals used the Ghost app to coordinate drug importations and a fabricated terrorism plot.
An investigation into one of the seized electronic devices led authorities to the correctional officer. A subsequent search of his home in north-western Sydney uncovered pistol rounds and additional electronic devices. AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty emphasised that accepting bribes, regardless of their size, undermines public trust and democracy. He stated that such actions have far-reaching consequences, alleging that the officer aided a criminal syndicate involved in drug and firearms trafficking, extortion, and kidnapping. The man faces charges of corruptly receiving a benefit under $2,000 and committing an offence for the benefit of a criminal organisation.
Categories: Corruption, Smuggling, Criminal Syndicates
Tags: Australian Federal Police, Sydney, Correctional Officer, Bribe, Encrypted Device, Ghost Network, Operation Kraken-Kamino, Drug Importations, Firearms Trafficking, Extortion