“So that was pretty brazen to see that they were actually disloyal to their own groups.”ĭespite the massive sting, the PM said authorities still had a long way to go. “So there’s going to be a whole lot of disruption there, and our state police colleagues are on alert for that because there’s no doubt going to be some tension within the whole system about who owes what drug debt and so on. “The other thing that we learnt is that they actually do a lot of business behind each other’s backs, including the presidents of various groups and organisations for personal wealth. “They all turn on each other,” Mr Kershaw said. No attempt to hide behind any kind of codified kind of conversation … including ‘we’ll have a speed boat to meet you at this place …’”Īs AFP officers continue its sweeping raids across the nation today, Mr Kershaw said criminals were in a state of panic. “(The texts) would be like, ‘I need 1000 kilos at this price.’ Very brazen. When you get access and it will come out in court, you’ll see that all they talk about is drugs, violence, hits on each other, innocent people who are going to be murdered,” he said. Mr Kershaw said while the FBI had the lead on the investigation, the AFP provided the “technical capability to be able to decrypt the messages”.ĭespite the investigation running for years, and arrests being made intermittently, Mr Kershaw said the alleged criminals had no idea they were being targeted. “Collectively, these alleged offenders are facing jail terms that could run into hundreds of years and some of the charges they are facing carry life imprisonment.”ĪFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the sting had resulted in the arrest of dozens of alleged “kingmakers”. “These figures are likely to increase over the coming days. “Shut down six clandestine laboratories and acted on 21 threats to kill, including saving a family of five … seized 104 firearms and weapons and almost $45 million in cash. “As of today, we have charged 224 alleged offenders, including 525 charges laid. “We have prevented mass shootings in suburbs and frustrated serious and organised crime by seizing their ill-gotten wealth. Mr Kershaw said the sting had resulted in the arrest of dozens of alleged “kingmakers”. “Australian law enforcement has been arresting and charging alleged offenders and we have prevented tonnes of drugs from coming onshore.” “Sadly, criminal gangs are targeting Australia because it is one of the most profitable countries in the world to sell drugs, and for three years, this operation has been covert. “We allege they’ve been trafficking illicit drugs into Australia at an industrial scale. “We allege they are members of outlaw motorcycle gangs, Australian Mafia, Asian crime syndicates and serious and organised crime groups. “Ironside has arrested and charged who we allege are some of the most dangerous criminals to Australia,” Mr Kershaw said.
More than 4000 law enforcement officers were involved in executing 525 search warrants across Australia.
Picture: Victoria Police via NCA NewsWire
Victoria Police footage of an arrest at Thornhill Park.