Adelaide tackles the big issues
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Adelaide tackles the
big issues Photos: Brian Hartigan, AFP Photographer
Words: Federal Agent Kate Levings, Marketing and Communications
Unravelling an international drug The office is located on Currie Street in gained by staff here puts in them in
syndicate one day, investigating a the centre of the city whose population good stead for their future with the
complex tax minimisation scheme the of just over one million enjoys the organisation.
next: Adelaide long ago said goodbye riches of living in one of Australia’s
to its sleepy town image, and claims its most respected food and wine districts. Coordinator Economic and Special
place on the major investigations map. Adelaide is renowned for its proximity Operations Steve Mullins says one
thing really separates the work at the
to the Barossa Valley, its stretches of
“When people talk about Adelaide, it Adelaide Office from other centres
sandy beaches along the southern
used to be to make wisecracks about around Australia. “In Adelaide, staffing
region of Glenelg, and its relaxed
that old stigma of an isolated town numbers are relatively small with a full-
lifestyle.
with little action, and not much to
strength team of around 60,” he said.
investigate,” says Manager Adelaide
The pace picks up, however, when
Office Greg Quigg. “What this means in a day-to-day sense
stepping inside the office door. The
for investigators is members don’t have
“In reality, those days are long gone. AFP shares a high-rise building with
the luxury of separating into teams
Adelaide is just a normal AFP office other government agencies, with whom
dedicated to specific crime types. In
these days. The national focus from the it does regular business and, while
Adelaide, investigators get it all, having
functional model means the only thing Adelaide is one of the AFP’s smallest
truly embraced the AFP’s functional
separating one AFP office from the next offices, the investigations are just as
model. Our unsworn members in
is the town they’re based in.” complex and rewarding. The experience
Adelaide Office offer the same levels
of commitment and enthusiasm for
work as our sworn colleagues — always
willing to chip in and help out”.
Members in the Adelaide Office are setting
themselves up for a strong investigative future. In fact this model in many ways reflects
the future of policing, with multi-skilling
the key.
8 Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006
“Investigators can work on one crime
type one day and another the next
— if not that same afternoon,” Federal
Agent Mullins said. “What this means
is members in the Adelaide Office are
setting themselves up for a strong
investigative future, with experience
right across the full spectrum of
national investigations.”
As Coordinator Border, Counter
Terrorism and Surveillance Terry Allen
points out, an office small in numbers Federal Agent Greg Quigg, at left, is the Manager Adelaide Office.
does not mean an office small in Adelaide skyline courtesy Adelaide City Council.
investigations.
“In May 2005, five men were arrested
of plastic chairs shipped to Australia drugs were located, and another 11kg
and approximately 116kg of heroin
from China,” he said. of heroin seized — bringing the street
seized after a 12-month investigation
value of seized heroin to around $60
by members of the Adelaide office,” he “Two Sydney men were arrested
million.
said. allegedly trying to access the shipping
container in May 2005 and were “Seizure of the shipment, Adelaide’s
The Adelaide-instigated Operation charged with attempting to access a largest and the biggest the AFP
Domini saw the AFP’s largest seizure of prohibited import. “Another two Sydney had seen in some time, disrupted
heroin in a number of years. men allegedly were located not far an international criminal syndicate
from the warehouse. One is due to face responsible for the importation of
Federal Agent Peter O’Neill, who ran
charges of dealing in money to be later narcotics to Australia, and provided
the investigation, said the operation
used as an instrument of crime, and the significant intelligence which spun off
resulted in the identification of
other facing charges of having goods in into other investigations,” he said.
members of an international drug
custody on his person.
syndicate operating in Australia, the This major investigation was a good
seizure of approximately 116kg of “A 29-year-old man was extradited from result in itself and an opportunity
heroin and the arrest of five syndicate Hong Kong in May last year and will to strengthen internal and external
members. also face charges relating to the seizure. relationships.
It will be alleged in court he was linked
“This investigation involved close “At the time this investigation ended,
to the warehouses which stored the
cooperation with agencies from the entire Adelaide Office was involved.
narcotics in Sydney and Adelaide,” he
Belgium, the Netherlands and China, as It was really positive to see that
said.
well as Customs and the AFP’s Sydney whole-of-office commitment,” Federal
Office, culminating in the seizure of Federal Agent O’Neill said police Agent O’Neill said. “This was also a
drugs allegedly concealed within the conducted search warrants at good opportunity to get to know our
framework of two shipping containers residential premises in Sydney after the Sydney and overseas colleagues better. >
Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006 9
Left: Federal Agents Peter O’Neill, left, and Scott Growden have been working on some major
drug and fraud investigations in Adelaide.
Below: Protective Service Officer Mark Kennedy is based at Adelaide Airport.
<
I think this particular job was a great reflection of the way the AFP does “For the AFP, I think it’s productive
example of the joint office concept, and business. to have someone stationed here
highlighted how beneficial that concept permanently to help out with
“More than reflecting any changing
is,” he added. investigations. As an example,
nature of crime itself, the complexity
I was able to provide a financial
More recently, a joint AFP and Tax of this investigation is indicative of the
intelligence report for a recent cocaine
Office investigation into suspected strengthening relationship the AFP has
importation investigation, which helped
fraudulent activities of a group of South with its client agencies,” he said.
investigators identify links between
Australian accounting firms called on
“Developing strong ties with the Tax suspects. In that way, it’s really crucial
the resources of most Adelaide Office
members. Office allows communication lines to to have that close working relationship,
open and as a result, more of these because it’s always going to be easier
Federal Agent Scott Growden is investigations are likely to come our to call out across a partition for advice
running the investigation which saw way.” than to pick up the phone and call a
search warrants executed across the stranger.”
city in early May following reports of Strengthening relationships with
a complex tax minimisation scheme partner agencies is a theme across
It is this kind of collaboration that
— where people due to pay large the Adelaide Office. Client Liaison
makes the Adelaide Office work so
amounts of tax allegedly invested in Officer Katie Allan maintains the flow
effectively. It’s a close environment
the scheme to make a financial loss, of information between the AFP and
which embraces the functional model
thereby avoiding or minimising their tax its many partners. Her role is to ensure
— different areas working together,
burden. outside agencies are in the loop when
sharing resources, to achieve a
they need to be, and that they can
common goal.
“This is one of the larger economic seek advice on matters which may be
crime jobs for the Adelaide Office, with forwarded to the AFP for investigation.
“The reality is, crime happens in
investigations revealing the value of the She works closely with Sue Ward, who
Adelaide just as it happens elsewhere,”
alleged fraud to be in the vicinity of is posted indefinitely to the AFP from
Federal Agent Quigg said. “What
$4 million,” he said. Austrac. Ms Ward ensures investigators
makes the Adelaide Office really work is
make best use of Austrac data.
So does a major fraud investigation there are no barriers to getting the job
highlight increased criminal “I was the first Austrac member posted done — we all chip in whether it’s drugs
sophistication in Adelaide? Federal to the AFP in Adelaide, and have been or tax or money laundering or anything
Agent Growden thinks it’s more a here since 2003,” Ms Ward said. else. Here, we experience it all.”
10 Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006
Snapshot: Adelaide
then and now
The nature-nurture debate is an old
favourite of psychologists worldwide,
and finds its way into the policing genre
via the inescapable truth that policing
has a tendency to run in families. Is it
that certain people are predisposed to a
law enforcement lifestyle, or is it simply
that people follow in their parents’
footsteps?
While these questions tend not to
find solid answers, examples of the
phenomenon can be found AFP-wide.
One such instance is Doug Lalic, former
Adelaide-based federal agent, and his
son Simon, a current member in the
same office.
In winter 1993, then-Acting
Superintendent Doug Lalic spoke to
Platypus Magazine about Adelaide’s
complex fraud investigations which
could cost “tens of thousands of
dollars” to investigate. Top left: Platypus Magazine ran a feature on the Adelaide office in 1993, in which then-Acting
Superintendent Doug Lalic spoke of complications with investigations (above left). Today, Mr
“Up until about five years ago, we had
Lalic’s son Federal Agent Simon Lalic works out of the Adelaide Office (at right).
few complex frauds, but since then,
especially with tax fraud, it has been
necessary to call on the expertise of Adelaide where he began his “plain Mr Lalic says the best thing about his
accountants from the Australian Tax clothes” career. AFP career was the freedom to “work as
Office and to liaise closely with the DPP I see fit and run my own investigations”.
For the bulk of his career, Mr Lalic
from the start of an inquiry,” he said. He particularly enjoyed being involved
worked on fraud and drug-related
in prolonged investigations.
Mr Lalic joined the Commonwealth offences and reached the position
Police in 1966 at age 23. His policing of Detective Senior Sergeant prior to While Mr Lalic retired in 2001 after 35
career started in uniform in the ACT the federal agent title’s appearance in years in policing, his son Simon keeps
and, two years later, he moved to 1996. the Lalic name in the Adelaide Office, >
Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006 11
Below: Sue Ward, at left, works closely with
Federal Agent Katie Allan, right.
Right: Federal Agents Terry Allan, left, and
Steve Mullins, right, are the Coordinators at
the Adelaide Office.
<
having transferred from ACT Policing investigation began in 1991 and • Members have raised money for
in 2003. “When I was growing up and resulted in the return of the fossils to various charities through events such
people asked me what I wanted to do, Flinders Ranges National Park. as golf days and the Foundation 21
I always said I’d join the AFP. It just Buddy Walk which raises money for
• In 1993, an investigation began into
seemed to be the natural step for me to Down syndrome sufferers.
the latest high-tech crime of telephone
take,” he said.
“phreaking” — making telephone • Responding to national priorities and
Like his father, Simon commenced his calls by manipulating telephone building relationships are great AFP
policing career in uniform in the ACT carrier exchange equipment and challenges and successes. Adelaide
after graduating from recruit training in PABX systems. The Sydney Computer meets the challenge by assisting with
1999. Four years later, he transferred to Crime Unit found a company has lost IDG, ACT Policing, the Bali bombings
the Adelaide Office where he is currently around $50,000 when individuals in investigations, the Indian Ocean
attached to Operations Team One. NSW and South Australia used the tsunami, the International Network
company’s telephone system to make and Operation Pendennis.
So what’s changed between Lalics?
ISD calls.
• In support of national priorities, a
In 1993 money laundering investigation in
Office location: The office was part of the In 2006 Adelaide recently saw an offender
AFP’s Central Region, which covered all receive a six year prison sentence.
Office location: The Adelaide Office
of South Australia. The Central Region • Allegations of a complex $4 million
is on the eighth floor of a building on
head office was located on the edge of fraud were investigated by Operations
Currie Street which houses numerous
downtown Adelaide. members, with search warrants
government agencies. Renovations are
anticipated for the future, with the office conducted around the city centre.
Officer in Charge:
Commander Don McCulloch. to be expanded to incorporate additional • Adelaide Office is undertaking a broad
storage facilities and an employee range of investigations including high
Significant achievements:
gymnasium. value money laundering, proceeds of
• In June 1993, Central Region’s crime, online child sexual exploitation,
Airport Intelligence Section arrested Officer in Charge: narcotic importations, war crimes, and
a drug courier and identified and Federal Agent Greg Quigg taxation-related investigations.
arrested an accomplice. The heroin,
Significant achievements: The workload at Adelaide Office
weighing 2.954kg, was the largest
is expanding, investigations are
seizure in South Australia and • In March 2005, AFP and Customs
growing and the scope of activity is
Australia’s second largest ‘body pack’ members seized approximately 116kg
increasing. On top of large drug and
seizure at the time. of heroin in a multi-national, multi-
fraud investigations, members recently
• Detective Constable Luke Cornelius agency operation.
deployed at short notice to Sydney,
trekked 3500km along the South Brasilia and Timor-Leste. “The team still
• The Adelaide Office has embraced
Australian coast to conduct a risk
the AFP’s functional model, allowing found time to raise money for cancer and
assessment of the coastline.
investigators to tackle the full support the homeless,” Federal Agent
• An investigation into the illegal export spectrum of crime types. Members Quigg said. “I envisage Adelaide Office
of 600 million year old fossils, valued gain solid experience in a range of as a typical AFP office with challenging
around $600,000 at the time. The investigations. work and opportunities for all.”
12 Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006
Adelaide
Airport: All
systems go
Adelaide’s new international the South Australian Government’s “I anticipate greater reinforcement
airport terminal is not only a coup announcement to commit to the to travellers, quicker response to
for Adelaide tourism, it also has recommendations of the Wheeler incidents, and the ability to target
the potential to increase response Report and facilitate 24 South criminal activity at airports involving
requirements for AFP members Australia Police sworn officers into people in the aviation industry,”
stationed there, as traveller the unified policing model at the Superintendent Eaton said.
numbers increase, particularly from airport,” Superintendent Eaton said.
“Importantly, it will also mean greater
international flights.
“They will take two years leave interaction between Protective
To meet this demand and as part from South Australia Police to fulfil Service and general duties members,
of an overall Australia-wide airport their appointment as AFP special meaning sharing skills and ideas.”
security boost, police commander members, while retaining their state
Protective Service Officer Mark
positions were created for the 11 powers. Most will perform uniformed
Kennedy, who is currently acting
Counter Terrorism First Response general duties (in AFP uniform), as
in the OIC chair for the Counter
airports earlier this year. well as forming part of the Joint
Terrorism First Response Team, said
Airport Investigation Team and the
Superintendent Geoff Eaton is working at Adelaide Airport was a
Joint Aviation Intelligence Group”.
the Airport Police Commander fulfilling experience.
in Adelaide, and is based at the “With these new resources on deck,
He has been posted to a range of
airport full time. He says the new we will have a greater control over
roles both nationally and overseas,
airport security structure is helping our destiny, particularly in relation
but says being involved in aviation is
deliver a more finely-tuned security to the investigation of offences and
one of the most satisfying positions
and community policing service, management of incidents within the
he’s held.
through working more closely with airport environment.”
the aviation industry, our Australian “People I work with know their job
In terms of day-to-day functioning
Government agency partners and and are professional at what they do,”
at the airport and the workload of
state authorities. he said.
members stationed there, it will mean
“Staffing at Adelaide Airport will a more streamlined approach to “Adelaide has always had a reputation
expand in July this year following security. of being effective and efficient”.
Platypus Magazine | Edition 91, June 2006 13
You can also read
