A Sydney woman identified through intelligence from Operation Ironside was yesterday (17 May 2022) sentenced in Downing Centre Court to three years and six months' imprisonment for money laundering and trafficking methamphetamine.
The Australian Federal Police-led National Anti-Gangs Squad (NAGS) began an investigation in April 2021 as part of Operation Ironside, which was a three-year, covert, investigation into significant organised crime syndicates that were using dedicated encrypted communications device, named AN0M, to traffic illicit drugs and weapons to Australia
In May 2021, police observed the 32-year-old woman taking a delivery of cash totaling $50,000 in Newtown, NSW.
The following month police executed a search warrant at the woman's home in Hurtsville and seized a green cardboard box which contained approximately 1,500 grams of methamphetamine.
AFP Detective Sergeant Nuckhley Succar said money laundering networks helped transnational serious organised crime groups access the profits from their Australian crimes by moving the proceeds offshore.
"Money laundering is a key enabler of organised crime and drug trafficking - and is a serious criminal enterprise in its own right," Detective Sergeant Succar said.
"The AFP continues to work tirelessly to prevent organised crime from profiting off the misery of Australians."
The Hurtsville woman pleaded guilty in February 2022 to:
- One count of deal with money, and was reckless to the fact that there was a risk that the money would become an instrument of crime, and at the time of the dealing, the value of the money was $50,000 or more contrary to section 400.5(2) of the Criminal Code (Cth); and
- Once count of traffic in a substance, the substance being a controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, and the quantity trafficked being a commercial quantity contrary to section 302.2(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The woman was sentenced to three years and six months' imprisonment. She will be eligible for parole after serving two years and two months' imprisonment.
A 32-year-old man and a 41-year-old man have also been charged with drug and other offences as part of this investigation. They are next due to appear in court on 18 May 2022 and 27 May 2022, respectively.
