TechFlow, Oct 30 — According to Cryptopolitan, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) successfully cracked a cryptocurrency wallet seed phrase worth $6.4 million, believed to be linked to an organized crime group.
The operation, codenamed "Operation Kraken," forms part of a broader crackdown on encrypted communication networks. During her work with the Criminal Assets Forfeiture Taskforce, AFP data scientist Krissy Barrett identified a hidden artificial encoding pattern by analyzing an image containing combinations of numbers and words. From over 50 variations, Barrett recognized a recurring pattern, stripping away the leading digit from each sequence to ultimately decode the remainder into a 24-word mnemonic phrase, thereby gaining access to the digital wallet.
Authorities have also arrested Jay Je Yoon Jung, a 32-year-old Sydney resident, who is accused of developing Ghost, a highly encrypted messaging application designed specifically for criminal organizations. The app was sold for approximately $1,600, including six months of access and technical support. To date, Operation Kraken has resulted in the seizure of $7.8 million worth of cryptocurrency assets.
