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A lawyer and an accountant were arrested by police after a series of raids in Canberra and Queanbeyan.
ACT police arrested a 47-year-old man on Wednesday during a raid on a law firm in Civic. A second person, a 54-year-old man allegedly linked to the attorney, was also arrested after further raids at an accounting firm in Kingston, a grocery store in Queanbeyan and a location in Farrer.
Police claim the men facilitated organized crime and met several times. It is believed that they discussed how to work out legal contracts and arrangements that can be used to buy a business to conduct laundering of criminal funds.
« The men are charged with money laundering offenses, » police said in a statement.
A lawyer from Canberra (center) was arrested after a raid on a law firm that went to the city police station with two police officers on Wednesday. Image: ACT monitoring
Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said the arrests were based on an eight month investigation into organized crime within the ACT and surrounding areas.
« The organized crime landscape in Canberra is evolving [and] criminal activity is becoming increasingly obscure with new technology and sophisticated methods.
Detective Superintendent Scott Moller said a prominent Canberra attorney was arrested Wednesday. Image: Sitthixay Ditthavong
« As ACT Policing seeks to prosecute organized crime money, we need to find the professional intermediaries as well. «
He said that some involved in organized crime lack the skills to carry out their crimes, so he hired professional moderators « in certain areas such as the financial and legal sectors ». .
« ACT Policing is for anyone engaged in illegal activities to help criminals retain and legitimize proceeds from crime, » he said.
« In the past few years we have seen tattoo parlors, houses, and cars confiscated. We are doing everything we can to reduce the ability of those involved in organized crime to legitimize their revenues. « . «
« This was a highly sensitive eight month investigation aimed at covert business practices and services that allowed criminals to commit more crimes and hide assets in our community, » he said.
« My message today would be, if you are a professional organized crime mediator, we will go find you.
He also confirmed that the police had confiscated large numbers of documents during the raids on the various properties.
The police asked anyone with information that might help their investigation to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or through the Crime Stoppers ACT website at 6695673. Information can be provided anonymously.
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Canberra, money laundering, organized crime, accounting
World news – AU – Canberra lawyer, accountant arrested after organized crime investigation: police
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Ref: https://www.canberratimes.com.au
