Fifty-five people have been charged following coordinated dawn raids across South Australia as part of a major AN0M sting targeting alleged organised drug trafficking networks.
Among those arrested and charged was Michael Theoharis, 29, of Paradise, who faces 21 counts of drug trafficking, including large commercial drug trafficking.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court ordered a home detention report for Theoharis, and his bail application was adjourned until next week.
The arrests form part of a broader investigation into the encrypted messaging app AN0M, a platform secretly created by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and FBI to monitor criminal communications.
Since Operation Ironside began on June 7, 2021, hundreds of alleged drug traffickers, bikies, and organised crime figures have been charged across Australia after authorities intercepted millions of AN0M messages.
The latest statewide operation follows a High Court ruling earlier this month that upheld the legality of the AN0M surveillance, rejecting claims by Comanchero bikie members that the app’s use amounted to unlawful interception.
As of Wednesday evening, 28 of the 55 accused had faced court, with police confirming the investigation remains ongoing.
Source: The Advertiser.
