law enforcement - The Latremie Post

South Australia Rounds Up Another 55 Suspects After High Court Backs Encrypted-App Sting

Police have filed roughly 800 new charges related to drug trafficking, firearms, and conspiracy offenses as part of Operation Ironside, a major law enforcement investigation targeting organized crime networks.

To date, cryptocurrency seizures connected to the probe total approximately A$58 million (US$37.9 million), according to estimates from the Australian Federal Police (AFP). These assets were traced through wallet addresses and associated accounts, highlighting the significant role that crypto plays in criminal activities uncovered by the investigation.

Operation Ironside originated from an FBI-built encrypted messaging platform called AN0M, which was secretly controlled by law enforcement from 2018 until June 2021. The app was installed on modified phones—stripped of cameras, GPS, and browsers—designed specifically for covert communication among criminal groups. These devices were sold through criminal intermediaries, helping the app quickly spread among drug traffickers, weapons dealers, and money launderers.

Rather than breaking the encryption itself, the FBI implemented a hidden system that captured messages before they were encrypted and transmitted. As the master holder of the encryption keys, the FBI automatically duplicated these messages to secure servers shared with the AFP, enabling authorities to monitor criminal networks in real time.

In Australia alone, at least 1,600 devices were operating with AN0M, with around 19.3 million messages intercepted during the first two waves of the operation. This unprecedented intelligence gathering has been instrumental in building cases against organized crime figures.

The investigation recently saw a significant development in South Australia, where police made 55 arrests over a weekend during the latest phase of Operation Ironside. This progress followed a High Court ruling allowing intercepted AN0M messages to be used as evidence in court. The ruling came after two suspects challenged the legality of the intercepts but were unsuccessful, clearing the way for law enforcement to continue leveraging the collected intelligence.

Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams described the ruling as pivotal, stating that it “paved the way [for us] to go to resolution today.”

While the global law enforcement collaboration, including efforts by Europol, continues to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal use of cryptocurrency, challenges remain. Europol has noted that crypto-related crime is becoming more complex and resource-intensive for police worldwide.

In Australia, despite growing government efforts to regulate cryptocurrency more closely, public mistrust persists due to its association with criminal enterprises uncovered in investigations like Operation Ironside.

Operation Ironside is a joint effort between the Australian Federal Police and the FBI and represents one of the most significant law enforcement operations targeting encrypted criminal communications to date. As the investigation continues, authorities remain committed to dismantling organized crime networks and recovering illicit assets funneled through digital channels.
https://decrypt.co/347136/south-australia-55-suspects-high-court-backs-encrypted-app

DOJ tells California officials to back off ‘apparent criminal conspiracy’ to arrest ICE agents: ‘Stand down or face prosecution’

The Justice Department on Thursday warned California officials, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, issuing a joint statement claiming that California law “prevents federal agents from taking certain actions.”

“While the President may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them.”

Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/24/us-news/doj-tells-california-officials-to-back-off-apparent-criminal-conspiracy-to-arrest-ice-agents/

DNA testing shows police found remains connected to Kada Scott: Sources

**Body Found in Germantown Linked to Missing Philadelphia Woman Kada Scott**

*Philadelphia, Pennsylvania* — Law enforcement sources have confirmed to Action News that initial DNA testing suggests the body found Saturday behind a vacant school near Awbury Arboretum in Germantown is connected to the parents of missing woman Kada Scott. This area was the focus of an intensive search conducted on Wednesday.

First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford detailed that a “very specific” anonymous tip was received overnight, prompting officers to return to the scene around 10 a.m. Sources also revealed that surveillance video evidence related to the case was obtained from a nearby Recreation Center.

The remains, which appeared to be those of a female according to Stanford, were discovered in a shallow grave within a heavily wooded area. They were removed from the site by late afternoon and are now in the custody of the medical examiner’s office, which will oversee the identification process.

Stanford stated that investigators have been in contact with Scott’s family throughout the process. “We have been in communication with her family as to this process and in the fact that we have recovered a human being,” he said.

Authorities are urging the public to continue providing any information related to the case by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).

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**Evidence Found During Search**

During Wednesday’s search, police recovered physical evidence including Scott’s debit card and a phone case. Tips dramatically increased following the announcement of the arrest of 21-year-old Keon King from Southwest Philadelphia, who authorities say was the last person known to be in contact with Scott.

King has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and additional offenses connected to Scott’s disappearance.

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**Details of the Case**

Police are still investigating how King and Scott knew each other but believe they came into contact in the days preceding her disappearance. Before going missing, Scott reportedly told people she was being harassed, although it remains unclear if King was involved in the alleged harassment.

Scott vanished the night of Saturday, October 4, after leaving her workplace—an assisted living facility in Chestnut Hill. King is currently held on $2.5 million bail.

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**Related Charges and Previous Case**

King also faces charges in a similar case from earlier this year, involving a woman who was allegedly kidnapped and strangled but survived. These charges were initially dropped when the accuser failed to appear in court but will now be refiled, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office.

In that earlier case, prosecutors say King kidnapped a woman from in front of her home, forced her into a car, assaulted her, and then released her. The incident was partially captured in a viral video showing King peering into and knocking on windows while a person inside yelled for him to leave and for someone to call the police.

District Attorney Larry Krasner addressed the case during a Friday news conference, acknowledging his office could have handled it better. “A really sophisticated approach to the case would have been to try to put it all in with video evidence,” he said.

Krasner explained that King being out on bail was a factor in the victim’s reluctance to appear in court. “The reason they had to worry he was going to come out of the same door they went in the courthouse right after they testified against him is because he was on bail,” Krasner said.

King was initially able to post 10% of $200,000 bail in his first kidnapping arrest. When asked why the DA’s office did not request a higher bail, Krasner described it as a strategic decision.

“You have the option of trying to do what is often a midnight or three o’clock in the morning telephonic appeal to a municipal court judge,” he explained. “The unfortunate reality of this is that some, but not all of these judges, don’t want you calling them in the middle of the night. And if you do, they lower the bail. They don’t raise it, they don’t leave it. They lower it. So it is always a complex, strategic decision.”

Marty O’Rourke, a spokesperson for the courts, provided a response to these comments.

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*For ongoing updates on this case and to submit tips, please contact the Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).*
https://abc7ny.com/post/dna-testing-shows-police-found-remains-connected-kada-scott-sources/18040938/

Canada lists Bishnoi Gang as terrorist entity

A terrorist listing in Canada grants the federal government the authority to freeze or seize property, vehicles, and money associated with designated groups. It also equips Canadian law enforcement with enhanced tools to prosecute terrorist offences.

The Canadian government has officially designated the Bishnoi gang, led by notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, as a terrorist organization. This move follows the gang’s involvement in murder, shootings, arson, and the spread of terror through extortion and intimidation.

“Acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation. That is why Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, announced that the Government of Canada has listed the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code,” stated the Canadian Ministry of Public Safety.

According to the Ministry, the terrorist listing means that any assets owned by the group in Canada—including property, vehicles, and money—can be frozen or seized. It also provides Canadian law enforcement with additional powers to prosecute terrorist offences, including those related to financing, travel, and recruitment.

For example, it is a criminal offence for anyone in Canada, as well as Canadians abroad, to knowingly deal with property owned or controlled by a terrorist group. The Public Safety Ministry further clarified that it is illegal to directly or indirectly provide property if one knows it will be used by or benefit a terrorist organization.

The Criminal Code listing can also be used by immigration and border officials to make decisions on admissibility to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“The Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal organisation operating primarily out of India. They have a presence in Canada and are active in areas with significant diaspora communities. The Bishnoi Gang engages in murder, shootings, and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation. They create a climate of insecurity by targeting communities, their prominent members, businesses, and cultural figures,” the statement added.

The Ministry emphasized that listing the Bishnoi Gang will assist Canadian security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies in combating their crimes and enhancing community safety.

“Every person in Canada has the right to feel safe in their home and community, and as a government, it is our fundamental responsibility to protect them. Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence, and intimidation by the Bishnoi Gang. Listing this group of criminal terrorists gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to their crimes,” said Gary Anandasangaree, Canadian Minister of Public Safety.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/canada-lists-lawrence-bishnoi-gang-as-terrorist-entity-says-specific-communities-were-targeted-23596385

Trump Says He’ll Designate Antifa as a Terrorist Group

**President Trump Announces Plan to Designate Antifa as a Major Terrorist Organization**

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a major terrorist organization. Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups rather than a singular entity. These groups primarily resist fascists and neo-Nazis, especially during demonstrations.

It remains unclear how the administration intends to label what is effectively a decentralized movement as a terrorist organization. The White House did not immediately provide further details following the announcement on Wednesday.

Trump, who is currently on a state visit to the United Kingdom, made the announcement in a social media post shortly before 1:30 a.m. Thursday local time. In the post, he described antifa as a “SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER.” He also stated that he will be strongly recommending investigations into funders of antifa.

As a domestic entity, antifa is not eligible for inclusion on the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations. That list currently includes dozens of groups, such as extremist organizations like the Islamic State and al-Qaida. The designation is significant because it allows the Justice Department to prosecute individuals who provide material support to listed entities, even if that support does not lead to violence.

However, there is no domestic equivalent to this list, partly due to broad First Amendment protections afforded to organizations operating within the United States. Despite periodic calls — especially after mass shootings by white supremacists — to establish a domestic terrorism law, no singular statute currently exists.

In an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he would pursue a domestic terrorism designation for antifa if the move had the support of Attorney General Pam Bondi and other members of his Cabinet.

“It’s something I would do, yeah. I would do that 100%,” Trump said. “Antifa is terrible.”

On Wednesday night, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) praised the announcement, stating: “Antifa seized upon a movement of legitimate grievances to promote violence and anarchy, working against justice for all. The President is right to recognize the destructive role of Antifa by designating them domestic terrorists.”

Cassidy, along with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), introduced a resolution in July 2019 condemning the violent acts of antifa and calling to designate the group as a domestic terror organization.

During the 2020 George Floyd protests, Trump also raised the idea of designating antifa as a terror organization. However, Trump’s former FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that year that antifa is an ideology rather than an organization, lacking the hierarchical structure typically required for federal terrorism designation.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/world/americas/trump-says-hell-designate-antifa-as-a-terrorist-group-1904457