Organised Crime and Gangs in Australia refers to the activities of various groups of crime families, organised crime syndicates or underworld activities including drug trafficking, contract killing, racketeering and other crimes in Australia.
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Main article: The Carlton Crew |
The Carlton Crew, based in Melbourne,[1] is an Italian-Australian criminal organisation from Melbourne, Victoria. It was formed in the late 1970s and was named after the Melbourne suburb in which it is based. The organisation had a strong rivalry with the Honoured Society and the Calabrese Family, both of which were Calabrian 'Ndrangheta groups also based in Melbourne. The Carlton Crew had a strong role in the infamous Melbourne gangland killings.
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Main article: Honoured Society (Australia) |
The Honoured Society is a Calabrian 'Ndrangheta group based in Melbourne.[2][3][4] In 1963, it was reportedly involved in the Victoria Market Murders. It was led by gangster Frank Benvenuto until his slaying in 2000. Tony Romeo, another high-ranking member, was shot in 2002. Ndrangheta operating in Australia include the Arena, Italiano, Muratore, Benvenuto and Condello clans.
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Further information: Serbian mafia |
The first Serbian mafiosi came to Australia in the late '70s, organised in a Yugoslav clan, their headquarters were some 15 kafanas in Sydney, Wollongong and Melbourne.[5] In the '80s the Serbian Mafia was reinforced with the arrival of Serbian immigrants. Milivoje Matović "Miša Kobra", arrived to Sydney in 1986 and became a known gambler who organised big games. His younger brother Braca owed money to the gang of Žorž Stanković, Žorž sent his son Batica for Miša Kobra whose friend Boža Cvetić threw down the street after he had pointed a gun at them. Batica was deported to Serbia and Braca was killed in the meantime. Žorž was killed in 1993 and his son Batica in 1996.[5] In 2005 interviews with Australian Serbs, it was said some 20 Zemun clan members operated in Australia at the time, double the number working prior to Operation Sablja.[5] Serbian boxer Božidar Cvetić who in 2002 was stabbed,[6] now worked as a bouncer in Australia said that Australian police had shown him pictures of some 150 Serbian criminals active in Australia.[5] In May 2007, Australian police saw recruitment to organised crime motorcycle gangs from young Serbs.[7]
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Further information: Albanian mafia |
Godfather of an Albanian mafia family 'Daut Kadriovski' gained attention of Australian Authorities after creating a drug pipeline through Albanian and Croatian communities in Sydney and Brisbane.[8]
North Asian networks include the Russian mafia[9] and Yakuza.[10]
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See also: Outlaw motorcycle club and Gangs in Australia § Outlaw motorcycle gangs |
Outlaw motorcycle gangs are present in Australia, with international outlaw clubs like the Bandidos, Hells Angels and Gypsy Jokers as well as other groups that are localised and less widespread. The outlaw bikie scene in Australia is unique in the sense that it avoided the consolidation that occurred elsewhere.[11] In the United States, the four major biker gangs are the Hells Angels, the Outlaws, the Bandidos and Pagans.[11] Elsewhere, the major biker gangs are the local branches of American gangs. The Hells Angels dominate Canada while Europe is divided primarily between the Hells Angels and the Bandidos.[11] The Canadian journalists William Marsden and Julian Sher wrote: "Unlike in Europe or North America, neither the Hells Angels nor the Bandidos succeeded in entirely vanquishing the fiercely independent Australian bikie gangs".[12]
One of the major events in Australian motorcycle gang criminal history was what became known as the Milperra Massacre in 1984, where a fight between two gangs, the Comancheros and the Bandidos in Milperra in the South of Sydney, turned into a gun battle that claimed seven lives - six gang members and a civilian. Despite the shock caused by the Milperra Massacre, bikie gangs increased in number after 1984 due to the profits offered by selling methamphetamine.[11] A consolidation began in 1994 as the larger clubs eliminated the smaller clubs, which caused 35 murders between 1994-2000.[11] The number of clubs was reduced down from 178 in 1994 to 32 in 2000.[11]
While conflict between various clubs has been ever present, in 2008 the gang conflict escalated, with 13 shootings taking place in Sydney in the space of two weeks.[13] Gang violence has become high-profile to the point where various state governments have taken steps to change laws to focus on the problem, and police have set up groups to deal with the threat, including the Crime Gang Task Force in South Australia[14] Bikie gangs in South Australia at least, are involved in drugs, murder, extortion and other forms of intimidation and violence. Bikie gangs in South Australia have diversified their activities into both legal and illegal commercial business enterprises.[14] In Western Australia they are involved in the drug trade[15] Laws to deal with Bikie gangs have been introduced into Northern Territory, South Australia, and are presently being looked at in NSW and Queensland.[16][17][18] In early 2009, Comanchero Motorcycle Club and Hells Angels were also believed to be involved in a clash at Sydney Airport. One man was beaten to death in plain view of witnesses at the airport, and police estimated as many as 15 men were involved in the violence. Police documents detail the brawl as a result of a Comanchero gang member and a Hells Angels biker being on the same flight from Melbourne.[19] Four suspects were arrested as a result of the altercation. Including two murders in the capital city, 4 people were killed in the space of a week in Canberra and in Sydney.[20] As a result of heightening violence, New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees announced the state police anti-gang squad would be boosted to 125 members from 50.[21]
Clubs in Australia include:
During the Vietnam War, the White Australian Policy had ended and a wave of refugees had fled to Australia after the Fall of Saigon, when North Vietnam had successfully captured South Vietnam. Most Vietnamese refugees were South Vietnamese escaping the conflict.
Asian gangs have a lot of history in Australia dating back to the 70s/80s. In the late 1980s, the Vietnamese gang 5T was active in the Cabramatta area of Sydney and believed to be involved in the murder of John Newman, the Member for Cabramatta in the NSW State Parliament. Other gangs active in Cabramatta, Sydney include the Four Aces and Madonna's Mob.[26] In Melbourne, Vietnamese gangs in the 80s to 90s didn’t really have a name and were more known by their Đại ca (Leader). The youth Vietnamese street gangs would usually have a name, not their organised syndicate counterparts. Vietnamese youth street gangs (00s - present) and Vietnamese organised gangs (80s - 00s) are different in Melbourne. Vietnamese youth gangs are usually the offsprings of the Vietnamese organised gangs.
Chinese gangs have existed as a low level activity for at least 20 years.[27] Whilst media focus on Asian gangs in Australia is not as severe as it once was in the 1980s due to the crackdown on Vietnamese organised crime in the 2000s, activities across a diverse criminal portfolio continue to occur. Groups at varied states of organisation are involved in murder, violence, drug importation and distribution, money laundering, human trafficking, and coercion of women into illegal prostitution. Large importation seizures of narcotics and illicit precursors have often involved ethnically Asian syndicates. Additionally, South-East Asian groups have a significant presence in large scale hydroponic cannabis cultivation with ethnically Vietnamese individuals often being arrested during seizures.
Chinese gangs are know to be less confrontational, business oriented and focused mostly on smuggling/importing drugs from Asia to Australia. On the other hand, the Vietnamese were known to be much more violent and had a lot more power in the streets than Chinese gangs. Vietnamese were known for drug trafficking, murder, and expanding territory. Vietnamese Gangs are known to have links to the Bikies, most notably the Comancheros.
In Melbourne, Vietnamese refugees resided in Collingwood and Richmond flats in the 1970s to 1990s which started the Vietnamese Organised Crime wave in Australia. In the 1990s the Vietnamese built their own communities into Footscray, Sunshine and St Albans and most of the residents from the flats had moved to the Western suburbs. Vietnamese organised crime syndicates also expanded their territory into the Western suburbs. Vietnamese gangs during the 1980s to 2000s were highly organised but were also highly violent and used a hierarchy, similar to the Italian Mafia. Unlike the Mafia, the Vietnamese were heavily into drug trafficking, and were known to be the largest traffickers of Heroin in Australia. While the Mafia calls their boss the Don or Capo Famiglia, Vietnamese bosses are called Đại Ca.
In terms of Chinese gang activity, highly organised crime syndicates in Sydney have looked to Chinese youths on student visas for their recruitment drives.[28] Multimillion-dollar prostitution rackets have been operating in Melbourne for several years, one of the largest by Mulgrave woman Xue Di Yan.[29]
Vietnamese syndicates gained media attention in 2010 after a drug bust in Melbourne.[30] Casino high roller, Thanh Hai Pham, and his wife were ring leaders of this syndicate and a total of 12 people were arrested in connection with this operation. Of a much less organised nature, has been the violence perpetrated by youths of Southeast Asian descent across Melbourne. Luke Mitchell, who in 2009 came to the aid of a stranger, was set upon and stabbed by a group of Thai nationals who have since been arrested.[31] Nightclub bouncer Ahmad Chokr, was attacked with a machete by the notorious Yellow Klique gang.[32][when?] A man was beaten in front of his family at St. Albans station by a group of youth of "Asian appearance".[33][when?]
In Australia, the major importer of illicit drugs in recent decades has been 'The Company', according to police. This is a conglomerate run by triad bosses which focuses particularly on methamphetamine and cocaine. It has laundered money through junkets for high-stakes gamblers who visit Crown Casinos in Australia and Macau. [34]
Gangs include: Triad; 5T; Spider Boys;[35] Sing Wah;[28] Yee Tong,[28][36]
The now-defunct Bogota Cartel of Colombia had operations in Australia.[37][38][39]
The Mexican drug cartel Sinaloa Cartel has infiltrated Australia.[40][41]
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See also: Dlasthr and Sword Boys |
Middle-Eastern gangs rose to prominence around 1995–1996 in Australia, most prominently in Sydney. By 2000, the middle Eastern gangs had gained ground in Sydney, conducting extortion against nightclubs, ram raids, and car theft. More recently, drive-by shootings have become more common, with tit for tat drive by shooting starting as early as 1998, and becoming more common in recent years.[42][43] including a drive by machine gun attack on a police station in Lakemba, Sydney.[44] In 2006, concerns over the lack of intelligence in the wake of revenge attacks, which included stabbings and assaults, by Middle Eastern youths following the Cronulla riots; led the NSW Police to set up a permanent Middle-Eastern Organised Crime squad similar in vein to the existing Asian Crime Squad.[45]
Melbourne is known for having a number of unidentified African gangs, often described as "Sudanese gangs", despite Sudanese Australians only committing around 1% of all crimes in Melbourne.[46] In 2018, then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the presence of Sudanese gangs in Melbourne as a "real concern", with then-Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton claiming that Melburnians were afraid to leave their homes at night due to gang-related violence. Then-Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews rejected Turnbull's comments.[47]
The presence of African organised crime in Melbourne was a key part in the Victorian Liberal Party's campaign for the 2018 state election under then-Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.[48][49][50] The party promised to tackle gang-related violence in Melbourne.
Additionally, African gangs also maintain a presence in Sydney.[51]
Examples of homicide include: Melbourne gangland killings; Sydney Airport bikie killing;[52][53] John Newman.
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Main article: Terrorism in Australia |
Australia has known acts of modern terrorism since the 1960s, while the federal parliament, since the 1970s, has enacted legislation seeking to specifically target terrorism. In terms of the predictors of and motivations behind such activities, theories of social disorganisation and anomie describe the clear political and social focus. The Australian government's foreign affairs, defence and humanitarian policies are also pertinent to this analysis, justifying the application of cross-cultural conflict.
These include the Sydney Hilton bombing and Turkish consulate bombing, as well as the activities of militant Islamic groups such as Faheem Khalid;[54][55][56][57] Mohammed Abderrahman (aka Willie Brigitte);[58][59] Joseph T. Thomas;[60][61][62] the Sydney Five and 2005 Sydney terrorism plot.;[63][64] the Benbrika Group in Melbourne (including Abdul Nacer Benbrika); and the Holsworthy Barracks terror plot.[65][66][67][68]
An example of arson is the Whiskey Au Go Go fire.
An example of sexual assault is the Sydney gang rapes.
Examples of protection rackets, extortion and coercion include Alphonse Gangitano.
Money laundering may be connected with legitimate operations, and has economic impacts.[69][70][71]
In relation to counterfeiting, all State, Territory and Federal police are authorised under the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981[72] to seize and prosecute currency related matters, including domestic and foreign currencies.[73] Counterfeiting can range across films, music, games and other electronic appliances, software, and fashion.[74]
Tax Evasion may be connected with legitimate operations and has an economic impact.
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Further information: Cybercrime |
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Further information: Copyright infringement |
In the 2007 Australian federal budget, the AFP was provided with additional funding of $8.3m over two years to strengthen its capability to pursue serious and complex IP crime, particularly where organised or transnational criminal elements are involved (AGD 2007).[75] AFACT has reported that links between organised crime and film piracy were first uncovered following a raid on Malaysia-linked pirates in Sydney in 2002. The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) referred to several cases involving pirates who were involved in other criminal activity such as prostitution and drugs possession. Status Investigations and Security Pty Ltd referred to a matter that indicated organised links between copyright offences and importation of prohibited weapons. Trademark Investigation Services (TMIS) argued that 'Recent Police cases suggest such links'. They pointed out that 'To examine high quality goods and packaging it is obvious that a single person could not set up the productions, packaging, export, import, wholesale, etc. alone. There is a network or chain where each party along the way is a part of the ongoing conspiracy to manufacture, package and sell the goods for profits they could not otherwise make from those goods if they were plain, unbranded goods.'[76]
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Further information: Cyberwarfare |
The most common form of cyberwarfare perpetrated by online criminal organisations is the Denial-of-service attack. Hacking, denial of service, access to and leaking of government (e.g. military) documentation have all been highlighted as key concerns for Australia.[77][78][79][80]
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Further information: White-collar crime and Corruption |
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Further information: Political corruption |
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Further information: Corporate crime |
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Further information: Drug trafficking |
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Further information: Clandestine chemistry |
Criminal organisations may generate significant income through the manufacture and trafficking of illicit drugs and their precursor chemicals. Increased involvement has resulted in larger and more sophisticated clandestine laboratories being detected in Australia. In 2008–09, a record 449 clandestine laboratories were detected in Australia (a 26 per cent increase from 2007–08). 67.7 per cent of clandestine laboratories continue to be detected in residential locations. Over two tonnes of precursor chemicals for the production of meth/amphetamines were detected at the Australian border in 2008–09, nearly double the weight detected in 2007–08. In 2008–09, clandestine laboratory detections increased across most jurisdictions, the largest occurring in Western Australia, which increased from 30 laboratories in 2007–08 to 78 in 2008–09, an increase of 160 per cent.[81][82] In the context of the Australian Illicit Drug Report, a clandestine laboratory is any concealed place where chemicals are used to produce illicit drugs.[83] Such laboratories range from crude, makeshift operations using simple processes to highly sophisticated operations using technically advanced facilities. They can be located virtually anywhere—in private residences, motel and hotel rooms, apartments, horse trailers, houseboats, boats, vehicles, buses, trucks, campgrounds and commercial establishments—and are usually very portable. Some clandestine laboratories use very simple processes such as extracting cannabis oil from plants using solvents; others use complex processes involving a number of chemicals and a range of equipment to manufacture drugs such as methylamphetamine and ecstasy. Clan labs are usually discovered after they have exploded.
Mainly clan labs manufacture methylamphetamine but other drugs produced in Australia and reported on in connection with clandestine laboratories are ecstasy, methcathinone, cannabis oil, 'crack' cocaine, pethidine and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB, or fantasy). Because of the increase in the number of clandestine laboratories detected in Australia, it was determined that there was a need for better exchange of information between the various jurisdictions. As a result, in August 1997 the first Chemical Diversion Conference was held at the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence; among other things, a categorisation of the various types of clandestine laboratories was developed. Initially there were three categories but a fourth has since been added. The categories are as follows:
Clan lab activity may include but are not limited to strong unusual odours, traffic at extremely late hours, covered windows and reinforced doors, exhaust fans and pipes on windows, high security measures such as bars on windows and an accumulation of chemical containers and waste. On 13 April 2011 the Minister for Home Affairs and Justice launched the Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Guidelines. These Guidelines provide a framework for regulatory authorities and environmental specialists to investigate and remediate sites that may have been contaminated due to being used as clandestine drug laboratories.[84] Clan labs produce substances that are toxic, corrosive, explosive and carcinogenic. They can pose a significant threat to the health and safety of officers, the general public and the environment and hazards include:
The Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan's son was involved in a clan lab explosion in March were a total of 5 people were injured. On 2 June a Gosnells house explodes, resulting in one man in hospital with severe burns. In 2010, 133 clan labs were dismantled. Of the clan labs discovered in 2010, 26 were in the cities of Armadale and Gosnells and the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. In Western Australia, Gosnells has proved to be the hotspot for drug manufacture, with six clan labs uncovered by police. Five labs were shut down in Armadale. Almost all drug labs were found to manufacture methylamphetamine. The suburbs of Kelmscott, Huntingdale, Bedfordale and Southern River harboured two clan labs each until these were uncovered and shut down by officers. Clan labs have also been detected in Camillo, Maddington, Thornlie, Mundijong, Byford, Brookdale and Karrakup.
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Further information: Heroin |
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Further information: Cocaine in Australia |
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Further information: Meth, Amphetamines, and MDMA |
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Further information: LSD, Psilocybin, and Hallucinogen |
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Further information: Cannabis in Australia |
Organised crime groups, including outlaw motorcycle gangs are involved in the cultivation and distribution of cannabis within Australia. According to the Australian Crime Commission, there has been a noticeable increase in the involvement of Vietnamese crime groups in recent years."[89]
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Main article: Human trafficking in Australia |
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Further information: Sex trafficking |
Sex trafficking involves Asian syndicates and European syndicates. It places burdens on the Australian health system.
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Further information: Illegal immigration to Australia and Pacific Solution |
Australia's approach to criminalising money laundering differs from that of many other countries. Division 400 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) (the Criminal Code) contains the principal criminal offences of money laundering in Australia. Division 400 was inserted into the Criminal Code by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) in January 2003. There are currently[when?] 19 different offences of money laundering available under the Criminal Code, and these can be classified into two types: those linked to the proceeds of crime (funds generated by an illegal activity) and those linked to the instruments of crime (funds used to conduct an illegal activity). Possessing the proceeds or instruments of crime is a single offence under the Criminal Code. Persons receiving, possessing, concealing, importing into Australia, exporting from Australia, or disposing of the proceeds of crime may be guilty of this offence. Possessing the proceeds of crime attracts a maximum custodial sentence of two years.[citation needed]
The remaining 18 offences of money laundering are those of dealing with the proceeds or instruments of crime. 'Dealing with' the proceeds of crime includes all the actions considered as possession of the proceeds of crime as well as engaging in banking transactions using the illicit funds. These 18 offences are distinguished by the value of the property involved and the intent of the offender. The punishments' severity increases with the value and with the offender's knowledge of the source of the funds. The Criminal Code classifies offences according to the value of the funds involved into bands of $1,000,000 or more; $100,000 to $999,999; $50,000 to $99,999; $10,000 to $49,999; $1,000 to $9,999; and funds of any value.[citation needed]
Section 24A states that: (1) A person who has possession of: (a) a precursor, or (b) a drug manufacture apparatus, intended by the person for use in the manufacture or production, by that person or another person, of a prohibited drug is guilty of an offence. A common example of this offence includes being in possession of the chemicals and ingredients required to manufacture a drug.
Offences including possession of precursors and certain apparatus for manufacture or production of prohibited drugs fall under Part 2, Division 2 of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW). This means that these offences are considered indictable offences, and are heard in the District or Supreme Court. Defences to this offence include but are not limited to duress and necessity. Also, those licensed or authorised under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 or somebody given authority by the Director General of the Department of Health are exempt from liability. Section 35A of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) outlines a further defence: it is legal to possess or manufacture a prohibited substance if the substance is contained in a product where the substance cannot be readily extracted, or in a product not for human consumption, or if the substance is possessed for the purpose of its disposal as waste or its destruction. The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $220,000, 10 years imprisonment or both.
Criminal Organisations Control Act 2012 (Vic)
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (the 'Palermo Convention') including the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children and Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air - 2000 (UN)
Organized Crime Control Act - 1970 (US)
Title 21 of the United States Code - 1970 (US) Ch. 12 Sub. 1 and 2, particularly § 848. Continuing criminal enterprise See Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (the 'RICO Act') - 1970 (US)
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 - (UK)
Criminal Code (Canada), RSC 1985, c C-46.
The topic has been widely covered in books and the news media and has also been the subject of several major Australian films and TV drama series including the ABC-TV series Phoenix, Janus and Blue Murder and, more recently, the popular Nine Network miniseries Underbelly.