Two residences, a Mercedes-Benz, and six bank accounts worth an estimated $4.4 million have been confiscated from a man suspected of importing cocaine via Australia Post.
The 41-year-old was apprehended and charged with bringing in a prohibited substance without authorization in June 2021 after it was claimed that he smuggled in 2.1kg of cocaine the previous year.
Following last Thursday’s court orders, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) took control of his assets, including a home in Sydney’s Connells Point and another property in Queensland.
The AFP’s Commander for Criminal Assets Confiscation, Stephen Fry, said that officers are devoted to preventing criminals from making money from their crimes.
“The AFP is unrelenting in pursuing every legal route to deny criminals their illicit money, take the profit out of their crimes, and thwart future criminal activities,” he added.
The AFP will find and seize offenders’ profits of crime, Commander Fry said.
The taskforce can reach anybody or any criminal organisation, he said. The opulent criminal lifestyle is transient.
“We will seize the profits of your crimes, including the money in any bank accounts, the million-dollar houses, the expensive cars, and the luxury goods.”
The individual was detained as part of Operation Ironside, which used the encrypted AN0M software that was discreetly given to organised criminal organisations while police were covertly monitoring it.
The Australian Financial Security Authority is responsible for managing the proceeds from the sale of property that has been confiscated by the police.
The Attorney General then disperses it for use in other law enforcement initiatives, such as crime prevention.