Ministerial Statement

Operation Ironside

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Minister for Police) (14:03): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER: Yesterday, South Australia Police carried out coordinated operations as part of Operation Ironside. Starting early yesterday morning, almost 300 South Australian police officers from Crime Service, Metropolitan Operations Service, State Operations Service, Security and Emergency Management Service and the Operations Support Service raided 23 properties executing a number of search warrants.

Yesterday's operation resulted in 55 individuals being arrested. Those 55 individuals are facing 813 serious criminal charges, including money laundering, drug trafficking and drug manufacturing. More than $25.8 million in assets, including 23 properties, 70 vehicles—including two Harley Davidson motorcycles—and bank accounts holding $588,000, along with $142,000 in cash were seized.

Operation Ironside is a joint initiative between the Australian Federal Police and state law enforcement agencies and has been running since 2021. Ironside originated from intelligence gathered from the encrypted messaging service ANOM that was being used on devices by criminal syndicates.

On 8 October 2025 the High Court of Australia held that the Surveillance Legislation (Confirmation of Application) Act 2024 is valid. This ruling has confirmed that information obtained as part of Operation Ironside was lawfully obtained.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Linda Williams, yesterday reflected that during her time in SAPOL she could not recall anything that compared in terms of mass arrests. Yesterday's operation will be a significant disruption to serious and organised crime networks in South Australia. To the almost 300 brave men and women who were knocking on doors early yesterday morning, I say thank you on behalf of all South Australians.