AUSTRALIA has been described as a "very much sought after destination" for criminal networks, after police busted a syndicate that stole around $1 million through card-skimming.
Detective Superintendent Brian Hay told media this morning a group of over 20 people in Australia had been involved in stealing money from people in Europe and laundering it back to criminal networks in Romania, France and England.
"This scenario is where we have cards compromised overseas, the data is brought to Australia and the accounts are fleeced from this location," he said.
"To achieve their goal, and we see this a lot with cyber crime, these criminal networks have to engage locals to assist in getting the money out of the country. They engage or recruit money mules. The network we've seen, that we've identified and we continue to investigate, are southeast Queensland based money mules that have assisted this criminal network in getting the cash out of this country."
More people are expected to be charged in relation to this network today, but Det Supt Hay said he was unsure how many.
Earlier, it was reported 20 people have been charged in relation to money laundering offences in which one million dollars was stolen through card-skimming and credit card fraud.
Detectives from State Crime Operations Command's Fraud and Corporate Crime Group closed the 11 month Operation Kilo Dictate which investigated an international crime syndicate involved in laundering fraudulently obtained money.
Assisted by Gold Coast police, Toowoomba police and AUSTRAC, Australia's financial intelligence unit, the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group tracked the syndicate who were based in southeast Queensland and were laundering the money to people in Romania and the United Kingdom.
The alleged crimes occurred over nine weeks from February to April last year and around one million dollars was acquired through card-skimming and credit card fraud offences.
Officer in Charge of the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group, Detective Superintendent Brian Hay, says this operation should send a clear message to anyone tempted to engage in these types of offences.
"This should also be a clear message to individuals sending unlawfully obtained money overseas on behalf of other persons, that you will be held to account and you may find yourself facing serious money laundering charges," he said.
"Money mules are an integral component of transnational crime and many cyber crime operations and they will be targeted by the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group."
More people are expected to be charged today.
Those charged are due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 12, charged under the Commonwealth offences dealing with the proceeds of crime.
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