News Centre

This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police, NSW Police Force and Australian Border Force

Editor’s note: Arrest vision and images available via Hightail.

An Australian Border Force (ABF) employee and an alleged crime figure have been charged with bribery and drug offences by a new AFP and NSW Police Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST).

The pair is accused of colluding to import illicit drugs into Australia.

The ABF employee, 50, is scheduled to appear in Downing Centre Local Court today (Wednesday, 12 March, 2025) charged with receiving a bribe as a Commonwealth official, abuse of public office, unauthorised disclosure of information by Commonwealth officer, and aid and abet the importation of border controlled drugs. The later offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

A Mount Pritchard man, 67, who the MAST alleges has links to organised crime, has been charged with offences including bribery of a Commonwealth official and aid and abet the importation of border controlled drugs. The later offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. He will appear in Fairfield Local Court today.

Another two men, 25 and 48, were also charged with attempting to possess border controlled drugs.

All four were charged under Operation Proctor and are among seven alleged offenders charged under three separate MAST investigations since the strike team started in November 2024.

For operational reasons, a decision was made to delay the announcement of the new strike team until charges were laid against the ABF employee.

It is alleged the man conspired with the ABF employee to ensure a parcel containing 6.9 kilograms of cocaine would bypass ABF examination.

It is alleged the ABF member had received cash and high-value items during the past few months, partly to ensure the safe passage of the parcel and to provide information about a dummy run of cosmetics which arrived in Australia from Malaysia on 21 February, 2025.

The ABF employee worked as a supervisor within ABF, allowing her to search cargo and ABF systems to determine if parcels were flagged for examination.

The ABF employee was charged with:

• Receive a bribe of a Commonwealth public official, contrary to section 141.1(3) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment.  
• Abuse of public office, contrary to section 142.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is five years’ imprisonment.  
• Unauthorised disclosure of information by current or former Commonwealth officers etc., contrary to section 122.4 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is five years’ imprisonment.  
• Aid, abet, counsel or procure the importation of a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.1, by virtue of section 11.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.  

The Mount Pritchard man was charged with:

• Bribe a Commonwealth public official, contrary to section 141.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ imprisonment.  
• Aid, abet, counsel or procure the importation of a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs, contrary to section 307.1, by virtue of section 11.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
• Communicating and dealing with information by non-Commonwealth officers etc, contrary to section 122.4A of the Criminal Code (Cth).

The other two men were each charged with:

• Attempt to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs contrary to section 307.5, by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth).

They have all been refused bail to appear at court today (Wednesday, 12 March, 2025).

The MAST, revealed today, has 40 full-time investigators and analysts, and leverages the capabilities and resources of ABF, AUSTRAC, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Tax Office.

The MAST is focused on targeting contractors, or public or private officials, who are on the payroll of organised crime. Also known as trusted insiders, these double-dealing employees unlawfully access information such as security or operational details, or use subterfuge, to help organised crime.

Organised criminals highly value and seek out trusted insiders. Some stay on the organised crime payroll for years.

Identifying and charging double-dealing employees is a key blow to organised criminals and their enterprises, which can be severely weakened when they lose their criminal insiders.

Operation Proctor was launched by the MAST in November 2024 to investigate the ABF employee and the alleged support she was providing to the alleged crime figure. ABF provided significant specialised assistance during the investigation.

Three other alleged offenders, from two separate investigations, have also been charged under separate MAST operations.  

Two NSW men, aged 52 and 27, are scheduled to re-appear in Downing Centre District Court on 3 April, 2025, and Burwood Local Court on 24 April, 2025, respectively.

Both men were each charged with one count of import tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue, contrary to section 233 (1)(b)(c) of the Customs Act 1901, and two counts of possess tobacco weighing over 500kg that is excisable with duty unpaid, contrary to section 308-10 of the Excise Act 1901. The maximum penalty for the second offence is five years’ imprisonment.

The 27-year-old was also charged with one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime, contrary to section 193C (1)(c) of the Crimes Act 1900. The maximum penalty for this offence is five years’ imprisonment.

A Melbourne man is scheduled to re-appear in Adelaide Supreme Court on 13 March, 2025, charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of controlled drug, contrary to section 32 of the Controlled Substances Act 1984 (SA), which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

As NSW continues to be ground zero for Australia’s illicit drug importations, the MAST will target those who are working on the inside for organised crime.

Up to 59 per cent of all illicit drugs trafficked into Australia are funnelled into NSW, and mostly into Sydney.

Almost 20 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized enroute to, or in, NSW, in the past financial year.

People working in NSW gateways – ports, airports, freight, post services and logistics – can make it easier for organised crime to import illicit commodities, including illicit tobacco, into Australia.

About 70 per cent of transnational serious organised criminals targeting Australia are offshore to try to escape Australian law enforcement.

AFP Deputy Commissioner Crime Ian McCartney said the MAST was identifying and charging the secret weapons behind organised crime.

“The MAST was set up in November last year to target employees who seem to be law-abiding Australians but instead are operating in the shadows of organised crime.

“We used to call these alleged offenders trusted insiders. However, they are really acting like double dealers by working both sides.

“Australia’s security and safety is being undermined by serious criminals who traffic illicit commodities into NSW and other locations in Australia,’’ Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.

“Organised criminals are active and successful when there is vulnerability and profitability. That is why they need trusted insiders, drug supply chains, dedicated encrypted communication devices and the ability to launder their illicit profits.

“It becomes a national security risk when supply chains are corrupted. Equally, we know organised crime can be successful in corrupting public officials.

“We see the carnage and grief caused by illicit drugs and those who traffic them – innocent people are caught in the crosshairs, violence spills into suburbs, our road toll increases, and the risk increases for our first responders, including healthcare workers.

“The MAST will target trusted insiders to help keep Australians safe – and that includes identifying and disrupting crime gangs offshore.

“The combination of experience, capability, legislation and international partnerships sends a message to organised crime, and those who support them, that it is just a matter of time before they face the full force of the law.”

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald, State Crime Command, said the Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) had one clear mission: to uncover vulnerabilities on the borders and eliminate the enablers who facilitated organised crime.

“These individuals undermine our security and are often as culpable as the criminals they assist,” Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said.

“Corruption is not just a betrayal of trust — it is a crime. Those who enable drug smuggling and other organised crime activities are not only corrupt, they are criminals in every sense of the word. MAST is here to ensure these enablers are held accountable.

“MAST embodies a unified, whole-of-government approach. By working closely with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Border Force (ABF), and other key partners, we are combining expertise, resources, and intelligence to tackle organised crime head-on.

“This strike team is a commitment to restoring integrity in our border operations. Every vulnerability we uncover, every enabler we stop, takes us closer to dismantling the networks that feed drugs into our communities. This strike team is a crucial step towards strengthening our borders and safeguarding Australia.”

Australian Border Force Deputy Commissioner Tim Fitzgerald says the MAST, which includes the support of ABF investigators, would play an integral role in holding officials to account, reinforcing the importance of bolstering the integrity and strength of our border and law enforcement agencies.

“The ABF’s work under the MAST alongside partner agencies to uncover and take action to this threat should send a message to anyone willing to test our border controls. You will not succeed. You will be exposed, and you will face the full force of the law,” Deputy Commissioner Fitzgerald said.

“The Australian Border Force is committed to identifying trusted insiders who attempt to infiltrate border controls for criminal interest. This includes employees within the ABF who are entrusted to protect the community from harm.

“There is no place within the Australian Border Force for people who are willing to abuse their position for criminal gain.

“Our officers occupy a position of trust, whilst we acknowledge the alleged conduct in this matter is unacceptable, this incident is not a reflection of the culture and commitment of our ABF officers across the country.”

Operation Bewdley

A Western Sydney father and son were charged by the MAST on 5 February, 2025, for allegedly importing about two tonnes of illegal tobacco, which equates to about 1.9 million cigarettes.

It is alleged the two men, 52 and 27, were entrusted with transporting goods under customs control and took advantage of their position in the supply chain to import illegal cigarettes in airfreight containers declared as legitimate goods.

Before the containers were transported to a licensed customs warehouse, it is alleged the men substituted out the illicit cigarettes with legitimate goods at a Chullora storage facility.

The pair were arrested on 5 February, 2025. One tonne of illegal tobacco was seized from the Chullora storage facility, which is estimated to be about 960,000 cigarettes. A subsequent search warrant executed on their family home in Yagoona found another tonne of illegal cigarettes from what is suspected to be a previous importation, as well as about $250,000 in cash.

Both men were charged with one count of import tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue, contrary to section 233 (1)(b)(c) of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth), and two counts of possess tobacco weighing over 500kg that is excisable with duty unpaid, contrary to section 308-10 of the Excise Act 1901 (Cth). The maximum penalty for the second offence is five years’ imprisonment. The 27-year-old was also charged with one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime, contrary to section 193C (1)(c) of the Crimes Act 1900. The maximum penalty for this offence is five years’ imprisonment.

The men will next appear at the District Court of NSW (52-year-old) and Burwood Local Court (27-year-old) on 3 April, 2025, and 24 April, 2025, respectively.

Operation Tampa

A Melbourne man, 20, who had links to a Sydney logistics worker, was charged by South Australia Police on 9 January, 2025, when heroin was found in his car.

It is alleged the man was returning to Melbourne to sell the drugs. He has been charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug and is set to re-appear in Adelaide’s Supreme Court on 13 March, 2025.

The man was arrested near Tailem Bend, 85km south-east of Adelaide, after the MAST provided information to South Australia Police.

The Sydney logistics worker, who was identified as a target of the initial MAST investigation, was later dismissed from his job for alleged activities that did not follow company policies and processes. The MAST investigation is ongoing, and further charges have not been ruled out.